The recent abortion ban passed by the Alabama Senate has garnered a tremendous amount of public criticism.
The ban not only endangers thousands of women who are no longer able to safely terminate a pregnancy, but it also places health care providers in the position of putting their patients' needs first, or serving up to 99 years of jail time.
Only three instances are official exceptions to the bill: ectopic pregnancy (pregnancy that implants outside the womb), circumstances in which the mother's life is at extreme risk, and a small number of genetic diseases that pose major health risks to mother and child.
These are cisgender men who will never in their life time have to worry about having to carry their rapist's baby to term, or whether or not a miscarriage will land them in jail. These are the men who disguise "Pro-Birth" as "Pro-Life".
Dr. Yashica Robinson, the medical director of the Alabama Women’s Centre for Reproductive Alternatives, states that she will continue to provide abortions to women after the ban comes into effect.
Dr. Robinson sees the ban as "deeply personal."
"I carry both these identities with me as I care for women and honor their decisions to become parents or to terminate their pregnancies."
I understand the struggle to make that choice. I became pregnant when I was in high school," she explains. "Because of my fear and lack of resources, I didn’t confide in my mother or grandmother until it was too late to have an abortion. I love my children with all my heart, but I know that everyone should be able to make this decision for themselves."
"I am appalled that I could get a more severe penalty (up to 99 years in prison) for providing safe abortion care than someone who commits second-degree rape."
"I hate that I am being placed in the position of reassuring my patients that abortion is still legal today" Dr. Robinson states, "and for the foreseeable future — despite the actions of politicians in Birmingham."
Dr. Robinson hopes that the bill will face court challenges, specifically the aspects of it that refer to rape, incest, and-of-state-travel to get an abortion.
Doctors like Yashica Robinson are risking their careers and safety to provide women with autonomy over their bodies. It is people like her who are the true heroes in circumstances such as these.
h/t: Unilad
