"get out of my exam room"

[niyad]

"Get Out of My Exam Room"

Fighting back against outrageous anti-woman state restrictions

By ROBIN MARTY

"We won't go back."

Those words reverberate from every corner of the country as feminists and their allies— including union and civil rights leaders, pro-choice public officials, doctors and women’s health specialists—declare themselves ready to protest lawmakers who have spent the last three years focused on taking away a woman’s right to control her body.

They were heard in Columbus in October when 65 Ohio women’s, labor, civil rights and civil liberties organizations joined with local physicians, state legislators, college students and hundreds of other pro-choice activists for a “We Won’t Go Back” rally on the steps of the Capitol. The rally, organized by long time feminist activists Lana Moresky, Kathy DiCristofaro and Cindy Demsey, condemned the GOP-dominated state Legislature’s sneak-attack budget amendments that created some of the most restrictive antiwomen state laws in the country. Showing the importance of the Ohio fight nationally, Eleanor Smeal, president of the Feminist Majority, and Terry O’Neill, president of the National Organization for Women, were featured speakers.

The Ohio amendments include provisions requiring ultrasounds before all abortions, creating a priority system for family-planning funding that will result in taking away funds from Planned Parenthood and adding funding for crisis pregnancy centers (which oppose abortion and promote ineffective “natural” family planning) and banning public hospitals from entering into state-required transfer agreements with abortion clinics for emergency care. Three of the new Ohio provisions are now being challenged in state court by the national and Ohio American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) on the basis of Ohio’s “single subject” rule, since they were adopted as part of an unrelated budget bill.

“I’m here today…to demand that Ohio politicians get out of my exam room,” said Cleveland gynecologist Lisa Perriera at the rally, holding her 2-week-old son in her arms. She told demonstrators that she recently counseled a young woman and her husband on the need to end her pregnancy for medical reasons, and had to force her to undergo an unnecessary ultrasound and listen to her fetus’ heartbeat. But under Ohio law, Dr. Perreira could not perform the lateterm abortion and had to send the couple to a neighboring state. She was outraged that Ohio had placed yet another difficult, unnecessary burden on this suffering couple.

On top of that, the Ohio Legislature is considering a bill that would ban abortions once a fetal heartbeat is detected—which could be as early as six weeks, before many women even know they are pregnant. The Legislature is also considering a bill requiring doctors to tell patients that abortion leads to breast cancer and that fetuses feel pain, although both are scientifically unproven.

Ohio women’s rights activists aren’t alone in their response to new War on Women laws:

. . . .

http://www.msmagazine.com/Fall2013/WeWontGoBack.asp

[sheshe2]

1. K&R

No. We won't go back!

Thank you for the thread, niyad.

[niyad]

5. you are most welcome. the ongoing, outrageous, incredibly self-destructive war on women will not

go unremarked.

[Mnemosyne]

2. Never going back. nt

[me b zola]

3. K&R

[gollygee]

4. K&R

[Wounded Bear]

6. K & R..nt

[lark]

7. And a BIG Hell Yes

to women's power!

[xmas74]

8. What I've wondered is if the patient refuses the ultrasound

will services be denied or can they be arrested?

A couple of weeks ago I had a kidney stone. I went to the ER, where I was informed that I would need a CAT scan stat. I refused it and stated that I just wanted some Flomax. After consideration they released me as an AMA and gave me a script for the flomax.

What happens if the patient refuses an ultrasound?

[Sirveri]

15. What I've wondered is if Dr's actually perform these procedures.

Just say they perform them, check them off, and move on the next step. Maybe the older ones should lead the way since it could lead to loss of license, then again, maybe they wouldn't since they'd be upholding their oaths.

[xmas74]

17. I bet they do, just to keep their license.

Some of the forced pregnancy group are crazy enough to carry on sting operations and have the young woman back out of the procedure at the last minute. There would be no problem with having an ultrasound, just backing out of the surgery.

I could see them leading stings, sneaking in cameras to record everything and then turning it over to the state the first chance they have. Of course, having the procedure done doesn't mean the patient has to look or listen. They could use a sleeping mask and an IPod while the ultrasound is performed, unless it is mentioned in some barbaric law that they must be forced to listen.

[Sirveri]

23. To keep their license. The only just Dr in an unjust state is unlicensed.

OK maybe not as elegant as Thoreau, but the point stands. Civil Disobedience is rarely done by those who have something to lose, but if they did do it then I think they would have a great groundswell of support.

[okaawhatever]

25. Oh, believe me, the Doctors comply. The know that they are being scrutinized and every step is

being watched. Right to lifers look for anyone who forgets to cross a t or dot an i.

[Hekate]

32. History lesson: Margaret Sanger was entrapped by anti-contraceptive women in her clinic

It goes way, way back with such people. She was willing to go to jail, and did.

The current law says doctors have to read aloud a substantially false statement without editorial comments, they have to force patients to undergo an unnecessary ultrasound, and they have to force the patient to watch.

My guess is that there is a form they have to fill out and sign, in order to hold them to the letter and intent of the law.

Doctors are human beings too, and they are being squeezed. It's been known for years (by the anti-choicers) that doctors are the weak link in the chain of abortion rights, because they are the providers of the service. That's why so many have been murdered, threatened, and driven out of business.

[Sirveri]

33. They also signed an oath. These laws harm their patients

That's not really a consolation when they lose their license and are forced out of state however. But then again, civil disobedience and rebelling against an unjust system was always more difficult for those who actually have something to lose. I suspect it will take more than 'one honest man' in this case. It needs to be a systemic rebellion, but I suspect that they have enough wing nut doctors to resist the push, and rebelling would simply give them what they want. A complete lack of abortion coverage in the state.

[Hekate]

34. It's long past time for doctors to stand together on this issue -- really together....

... not leaving vulnerable individuals standing alone waiting to be murdered by stochastic terrorists.

[Sirveri]

35. Are they able to, I suspect there are plenty in the profession who are 'pro-life'.

I'm wondering if the division is simply too deep. They can organize to cap and control med school graduation rates with their cartel, but they aren't able to organize to oppose this? I suspect the will to action would need to come from the top. Perhaps it's time to write a letter.

[riqster]

9. A size 13 Kick! With boots on.

[Quantess]

10. K & R

[DirkGently]

11. KNR.

[Coyotl]

12. Proud to be rec #50

[niyad]

13. my thanks to all who have responded to, and rec'ced this very important post.

[Cha]

14. Fuck Yeah!

[Enthusiast]

16. Kicked and recommended a whole bunch.....nt

[niyad]

18. . . .

[Le Taz Hot]

19. Unbelievable.

No, these people don't hate wimmins.

And this: " banning public hospitals from entering into state-required transfer agreements with abortion clinics for emergency care." So, they just die from something completely preventable. Someone want to tell me again about the "pro-life" part of these people?

It's about control and it's about scoring cheap political points with the lowest common denominator portion of the electorate.

Brava for the actions of all who are involved in fighting this hate-filled group of legislators.

[niyad]

20. this hatred for half the human race borders on insanity. every single one of these idiot

"legislators" (and, believe me, I use that word most advisedly) and all those who are clamouring for these insane laws, all came from women. you cannot have a functioning society when one-half of that society is marginalized, subjected to the most insane and harrowing of laws, when a culture of violence and rape not only exists, but flourishes.

[PeaceNikki]

21. Powerful piece, thanks for posting.

[niyad]

22. you are most welcome. and thank YOU for posting one of my favourite images.

[niyad]

24. . . .

[Tanuki]

26. K & R for "We won't go back"! n/t

[UtahLib]

27. Kicked and Strongly recommended! n/t

[niyad]

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[niyad]

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[niyad]

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[niyad]

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