As of September 1st of 2021, in the state of Texas, The Texas Heartbeat Act has been officially passed and is under enforcement. The act prohibits abortions from being performed after six weeks, around the time that a viable heartbeat can be discovered.
This six week allowance period is incredibly alarming, as most women are not even aware that they are pregnant within this time frame. The process of becoming aware can take up to seven weeks in many cases. Due to having such a strict regulation, by the time most women discover they are pregnant, it is now illegal to decide to have an abortion.
This act was signed into approval by Texas Governor Greg Abbott back in May of this year (Najmabadi, 2021). The fact that a man ultimately made the final decision on this act has sparked outrage, and rightfully so.
This ban is sexist against women as there is no regulation for men to have to take any safe sex precautions in order to prevent unwanted pregnancy. Many women, including activism groups such as the Texas Women’s Foundation, have been calling for this law to be stopped. Across the internet women have raised the point that men have to take precautions to prevent pregnancy, such as getting a reversible vasectomy. Pregnancy does not just result from the actions of the women, yet actions are being taken against women alone.
To ban abortion at such an early point, even if someone becomes aware that they are pregnant in time, is immoral and cruel. People need a longer amount of time allotted to consider next steps, as it is not an easy choice to make. Given someone’s circumstance they may also be pressured not to get an abortion, by influential people in their lives, causing them to delay their decision. By putting such a strict time limit, Texas legislation is rushing women into making a life altering decision that will impact them forever.
By forcing women to follow the regulations of this ban, it is causing a desperate need for healthcare and support. This can cause women to face a very dangerous reality, as of 2003 unsafe or home performed abortions account for 8-11% of all maternal deaths globally (Kazan, 2018). This number will only see an increase, as Oklahoma Clinics nearby have been too inundated to provide enough support. Furthermore, the safety risks for women have become significantly worse.
“Anyone who successfully sues an abortion provider under this law could be awarded at least $10,000. And to prepare for that, Texas Right to Life has set up what it calls a “whistleblower” website where people can submit anonymous tips about anyone they believe to be violating the law.” Stated Reporter Sarah McCammon in her article for NPR.
This puts women in a very vulnerable state that can lead to them being completely exploited by people both within their community and within their own personal lives, in order for others to reap financial gain.
The Texas Heartbeat Act is not a safe law. By having this potential 10,000 dollar motive in place, it is leaving women vulnerable to the opportunity being taken advantage of by people around them that are willing to do so out of selfishness. Women’s Healthcare is nobody else’s business and is entirely a private matter nobody should be able to have a say in controlling.
Not only can this “whistleblower” operation be exploited by abusive partners or rapists looking to further cause harm or to seek rewards, but women can also be prosecuted for traveling outside of the state of Texas to have an abortion performed. This act is truly robbing women of their right to choose, and to have ownership of their own bodies, or futures.
People across the world have been attempting to take down this “whistleblower” website by bombarding it with fake reports in order to assist women that can potentially be negatively impacted by the goals of this website.
Many women have also been running into the issue of being accused of having an abortion after miscarriage. This can be a very traumatic event for women to have to go through without the issues that the court would bring into such an accusation. This act is ultimately causing inhumane practices to take place.
This entire act has been a recipe for disaster and caused many people undeniable harm and trauma. The federal court ultimately has to make a decision whether or not to let this law remain standing or put an end to the effect that it is having. The federal court has the power to shut this law down, which they absolutely should have done immediately. There is still hope for this act to be stopped.
As of Wednesday October 27th the Department of Justice has released a 93-page brief which argues against this law. Some of the most notable things that were said within this release include, “if Texas is right, no decision of this Court is safe” (Breunenger, 2021). It is time for people to open their eyes and begin to see the damage that Texas is causing. Arguments are set to be heard in court on this coming Monday.
In order for change to be appropriately enacted, it is important to use your voice, especially on a matter so crucial. Talk about this issue with the people in your life and do not be afraid to let your opinions be heard. It is important to continue to educate yourself on these issues and spread the word. Speaking out, especially in this situation as the world will see on Monday, can clearly make a difference.
Works Cited
Breuninger, Kevin. “Texas, DOJ and Abortion Providers File Arguments as Abortion Ban Fight Nears Supreme Court.” CNBC, CNBC, 28 Oct. 2021, https://www.cnbc.com/2021/10/27/texas-doj-and-abortion-providers-file-arguments-as-abortion-ban-fight-nears-supreme-court.html.
Khazan, Olga. “When Abortion Is Illegal, Women Rarely Die. but They Still Suffer.” The Atlantic, Atlantic Media Company, 11 Oct. 2018, www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2018/10/how-many-women-die-illegal-abortions/572638/
McCammon, Sarah. “What the Texas Abortion Ban Does – and What It Means for Other States.” NPR, 1 Sept. 2021, www.npr.org/2021/09/01/1033202132/texas-abortion-ban-what-happens-next.
Najmabadi, Shannon. “Gov. Greg Abbott Signs into Law One of Nation’s Strictest Abortion Measures, Banning Procedure as Early as Six Weeks into a Pregnancy.” The Texas Tribune, 19 May 2021, www.texastribune.org/2021/05/18/texas-heartbeat-bill-abortions-law/.