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Poetry and snark blogger who also has a creative side (who knew?)

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Why Women Need the GOP in the Exam Room

Ladies, it may be time to start stockpiling birth control pills for the lean times a-comin'. The GOP is waging a war against women, and one of its main strategies is to keep us pregnant. The ability to decide when, or if, we will have a child is vital to our personal, social, financial, and vocational freedom; it is precisely this freedom that we will lose if we allow our country to continue on its same course.

In February of this year, the Virgina Senate passed a bill requiring women to undergo an ultrasound before an abortion. This was the first of several measures expected to dramatically alter abortion law in that state. Republicans, who are now in control of both the House and the Senate in Virginia, are considering laws that will ban abortion after 20 weeks of pregnancy, require that insurers that cover abortions also offer policies that do not, and give rights to a fertilized egg at the moment of conception.

The ultrasound bill requires that before an abortion, a woman must have an ultrasound to determine the gestational age of the fetus and be "offered" the opportunity to view the images. If she declines, she must sign a statement saying that she refused to view the ultrasound. The statement and the ultrasound images then become part of her permanent medical record. Opponents of the bill say that this violates a woman's autonomy and privacy, while supporters claim it is a "legitimate health  issue."

Virgina is not unique in this regard. Since the mid-1990s, several states have moved to require ultrasound as a part of the abortion procedure despite it not being considered medically necessary. Of those, some require that the woman be offered the "opportunity" to view the images. The state of Texas has taken this mandate to preposterous levels. Under Texas law,  physicians must perform a sonogram before performing an abortion. The woman then has options to view the sonogram images and to hear the fetal heartbeat. She is required, however, to hear the medical explanation of the sonogram at least 24 hours before the procedure. That's right, required. The Texas legislature knows better than individual women or their physicians what information they need to make a medical decision. Wouldn't you feel better having the lawmakers of Texas in the exam room with you?

Governor Rick Perry called this legislation "a victory for Life." He stated that "this important sonogram legislation ensures that every Texas woman seeking an abortion has all the facts about the life she is carrying, and understands the devastating impact of such a life-ending decision." He can try to dress it up as an informed consent procedure all he wants, but a pig in lipstick is still a pig. This is clearly an attempt to dissuade women from abortion and is insulting and degrading to those women who wish to have a legal medical procedure.

In what other circumstance do we encourage an unnecessary medical procedure prior to performing the service sought? (I'm not referring to cases where an ultrasound may be necessary before an abortion for medical reasons but in cases like the majority of those in Texas or Virginia where it is mandated regardless of medical necessity.) Do men have to get a digital rectal exam or cystoscopy before they get Viagra? Should they be required to see the images and hear the description in detail?  In what other circumstance would Republicans claim a "victory" over increased medical costs? It seems to me that a woman seeking an abortion is deemed unable to give informed consent without a sonogram because if she had actually understood the matter, she wouldn't be seeking an abortion. The aim of these laws is to keep throwing more obstacles at her until she changes her mind.

Given the GOP opposition to abortion, one would think that they would support birth control, since using birth control regularly decreases the number of unplanned pregnancies and thus, the number of abortions. Make access to birth control easier and more women will use it. Easy, right? Oh no, not in GOP thinking. They want to make access to birth control more difficult. The Republicans consistently vote to cut Title X funding, which makes family planning funds available to low income families.

Additionally, when President Obama included contraception is his health care mandate, Republicans were quick to characterize as an "attack on religion" his failure to initially exempt Catholic church based organizations.  Personally, I think that once Obama opened himself up for compromises concerning contraceptive coverage, he made a mistake. If there is a federal law, ALL employers should be required to follow it. If church based agencies can opt out, what about the private employer who is opposed to birth control? What if an employer is opposed to blood transfusions based on his religion? Should he be allowed to offer insurance that doesn't cover it? Contraception is basic primary care, and it should be treated as such.

One last thought- since the GOP has decided that women are clearly unable to think for themselves, I offer my own informed consent procedure to make sure we don't make any rash decisions. Before deciding to continue a pregnancy, a pregnant woman must receive information from her physician about labor and delivery, including pain, mess, and episiotomies.  In addition, she must have the opportunity to view photos of sagging breasts and stretch marks and to hear the incessant wail of a baby with colic. She must be "offered" the opportunity to view photographs. If she refuses, she must sign a statement, which will then become part of her medical file. It is, after all, a legitimate health issue."


Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Roux 4 U!

My bloggie buddy Micael (aka Rabbit) is an awesome artist and has just opened a new website where he is selling his one-of-a kind creations of Roux, his adorable bunny character. Check it out and enter to win your very own, personally designed Roux! Tell him lolamouse sent you! Go! Do it! NOW!!!


click here to go to website

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Shame on you, Susan G. Komen!

NEW YORK (1/31/12) – Planned Parenthood Federation of America today expressed deep disappointment in response to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation’s decision to stop funding breast cancer prevention, screenings and education at Planned Parenthood health centers. Anti-choice groups in America have repeatedly threatened the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation for partnering with Planned Parenthood to provide these lifesaving cancer screenings and news articles suggest that the Komen Foundation ultimately succumbed to these pressures.

It's time to rethink those pink ribbons, y'all. I am saddened and disgusted to learn that the Susan G. Komen Foundation, one of the most recognizable organizations for breast cancer research and support, has caved to political pressure. This rift will mean a cutoff of hundreds of thousands of dollars in grants, mainly for breast exams, which Planned Parenthood provides at its sites. Although the Komen Foundation claims that the withdrawal of funds is the result of Planned Parenthood being under investigation by Congress for using federal money for abortions, Planned Parenthood says the move is due to Komen bowing to pressure from anti-abortion activists, who have been targetting Komen since 2005, when it partnered with Planned Parenthood. Furthermore, this Congressional probe was launched by a conservative Republican (Rep. Cliff Stearns) at the urging of anti-choice zealots. Do I smell a rat here?

If we need any more evidence, just look to Komen's recent naming of Karen Handel as Senior Vice President for Public Policy (2011). Ms. Handel is clearly anti-choice and anti-Planned Parenthood. In a 2010 statement while running for Governor of Georgia, she said the following:


First, let me be clear, since I am pro-life, I do not support the mission of Planned Parenthood. During my time as Chairman of Fulton County, there were federal and state pass-through grants that were awarded to Planned Parenthood for breast and cervical cancer screening, as well as a “Healthy Babies Initiative.”...  Planned Parenthood was the only eligible vendor approved to meet the state criteria.  Additionally, none of the services in any way involved abortions or abortion-related services.  In fact, state and federal law prohibits the use of taxpayer funds for abortions or abortion related services and I strongly support those laws.  Since grants like these are from the state I’ll eliminate them as your next Governor.
Let's sum this up: Planned Parenthood was the only place available in the state to provide breast and cervical cancer screening (generally for poor women). None of the funds for provided for this service were used for abortions or anything other than these screenings. As Governor, Ms. Handel planned on eliminating this funding, thus, cutting off the only access to cancer screening many women in Georgia had. Now that she's in charge of Public Policy at the Komen Foundation, she can wield her axe on a national level and cut off access to cancer screening for thousands, if not millions, of poor women. Way to show your pro-life colors, Karen!

This blatant political ass kissing has got to stop! Cancer strikes liberals and conservatives. Cancer doesn't care if you're pro-choice or pro-life. Cancer doesn't care if you have health insurance or don't. We cannot allow the organizations that are supposed to be fighting for women's health to cave to partisan politics on either side. Whether or not you believe in a woman's right to choice, you should believe that women have the right to get cancer screenings, and Planned Parenthood does cancer screenings. They are about much more than abortion.

Tell the Komen Foundation that they should be ashamed. Tell them that saving women's lives should trump politics. Much as I love the color pink, I refuse to wear it until this is reversed.

Sign the petition here and tell Komen not to succumb to Right Wing attacks.