Ohio Bill: Women need men's permission to have abortions

[Holly_Hobby]

Oh this is rich. A group of legislators in Ohio are pushing a bill that would give men a say in whether or not a woman can have an abortion.

"This is important because there are always two parents and fathers should have a say in the birth or the destruction of that child," said Adams, a Republican from Sidney. "I didn't bring it up to draw attention to myself or to be controversial. In most cases, when a child is born the father has financial responsibility for that child, so he should have a say."

As written, the bill would ban women from seeking an abortion without written consent from the father of the fetus. In cases where the identity of the father is unknown, women would be required to submit a list of possible fathers. The physician would be forced to conduct a paternity test from the provided list and then seek paternal permission to abort.

Written notes? Submitting a list of potential fathers? Sometimes I think that anti-choice folks forget that women are, you know, adults.

But seriously here's the best part of the bill:

Claiming to not know the father's identity is not a viable excuse, according to the proposed legislation. Simply put: no father means no abortion.

...

But wait, it gets even better. Women would be required to present a police report if they want to "prove" that the pregnancy was a result of rape of incest. Because women can't be trusted, obviously.

...

http://feministing.com/archives/007480.html

Via C&L

[aquart]

1. Ah, pro-prostitution legislation.

Why don't those hypocritical, flabby-assed, middle-aged white men just admit that the only way they can get a woman is to pay for it, and laws like this keep the supply of young and desperate girls ever-flowing.

After, none of these girls are still virgins...what are their choices?

[Why Syzygy]

2. If his wife wants him to

will he get a castration? I highly recommend it in this case.

:grr: Why don't these freaks join the taliban.

This is absolute BULLSHIT. They are obsessed with women's uteruses.

[Holly_Hobby]

3. I think they're terrified of uteruses n/t

[WinkyDink]

17. Yes, and therefore obsessed with controlling them.

[mondo joe]

4. No adult should be required to get anyone's permission to do anything with their own body.

Regardless of the genders involved.

[etherealtruth]

9. Touche

[sakabatou]

5. Disgusting

Well, time for more dangerous, back-alley abortions XP :puke:

[SoCalDem]

6. I was not aware that so many men wanted to raise & pay for babies.

In all the cases I know of, that involved an abortion, the GUY was the one really pushing for it :eyes:

[rucky]

7. That fucker is from the next town north of here!

I have 6 brother and sister in-laws who live in his district. Unfortunately, most of them would probably support this tripe (yes, even the spouses).

[Katherine Brengle]

8. Fuck patriarchy.

I think I already responded somewhere else about this particular embarrassment, so nothing further.

[Longhorn]

10. Does the bill require a woman to have an abortion against the her will

if that's what the father wants? This bill doesn't give the father "a" say; it gives him "the" say and the woman NO say! Considering it is her body, her decision should trump anyone else's, period!

[porphyrian]

11. Oh, Jesus.

I guess I haven't argued enough in the last couple of days.

First, I think this is a stupid law.

Second, I believe the decision about what happens with someone's body is their own, and this includes abortion.

Third, I believe that, in a committed relationship or marriage, the man should have some input in the creation or abortion of a family beyond ejaculation. I'm not saying the man should be able to force the woman to abort or keep a baby, only that it should be grounds for divorce to leave him out of the decision.

OK, bring it.

Edit: omitted words

[pink-o]

23. well, just maybe we need to educate men and women...

...to respect each other's sexuality. I think that's what you're saying. Ideally, the decision should be mutual between each individual man and woman.

I for one won't flame you. Unless the pregnancy occurred because of rape, most women are gonna include their men in a decision of this magnitude.

[porphyrian]

25. Thank you, and yes, that's basically what I'm saying.

However, the last time I brought it up, I got mobbed. And it's still early...

[liberalnurse]

12. We could have a group of volunteer fathers

for the pregnant females to use on the consent forms. It could happen; the same 10-12 males appear to "get around town" and score each night. O8) Works for me.

[ThomCat]

26. So long as they don't require a paternity test to prove

that a guy claiming to be the father really is, that's a great idea. But if they somehow manage to get a law like this passed, don't expect that loophole to stay open for long.

[liberalnurse]

35. Governor Strickland will veto

any and all such nonsense.

[Why Syzygy]

31. It is an outright invasion

of privacy for all the parties involved. In Ohio don't unzip unless you're willing to sign?
What about forged documents? Yeah. One more bureaucracy to deal with paternities and signature analysis. It is such a challenge to tolerate these barbarians.

[liberalnurse]

36. Most of all, they can not nor would they ever

be capable of enforcing such a law....Who's the watch dog? See how effective immigration laws are being enforce......See, it's all campaign pandering for their base. They, Ohio repugs, they could care less if one has an abortion. It's the appearance that matters only to them.

[Why Syzygy]

42. This in one reason why

we have such a quagmire in our nation. They are literally dickin around instead of addressing real issues. Taxpayers are financing them while they beat their heads against narrow issues like this. It is absolutely irresponsible and frankly a theft of taxpayer funds.

[scorpiogirl]

13. The next, most logical conclusion:

What happens when the woman doesn't want the baby and the father does? Does she then have to go through with the pregnancy? How many suicides will that result in? So as a result, will women be forced to carry and give birth by someone who doesn't even care if they want to have the baby?. How about an abusive, controlling husband? What if she can't prove he's abusive? They just take his word over hers? It must be so because women can't make their own important decisions. :eyes:
What, do husband's own their wives now, too. This is beyond vile.

[ThomCat]

27. Not just husbands. This law would mean that boyfriends own

women. The guy you have a one-night stand with owns you. x(

[scorpiogirl]

39. What a nightmare it all is!

I can imagine many terrible scenarios resulting from this stupid law if enacted.

[Triana]

14. Feminism is the Radical Notion That Women are Human

Imagine that.

[Dont_Bogart_the_Pretzel]

15. "women would be required to submit a list of possible fathers".

soooo does this mean the rapist will show up and give HER permission?!? :shrug:

[ThomCat]

29. And how would she prove that she was raped

to the satisfaction of the judge to get approval for an abortion without the rapist's consent? That would be a total legal nightmare. Police already refuse to investigate, and DAs refuse to prosecute. Women are already told that there is no case. So now she'd be stuck carrying a rapist's baby to term.

[BattyDem]

16. What if the woman doesn't want an abortion, but the man wants her to have one?

Does he get the deciding vote in that decision, too? :eyes:

[WinkyDink]

19. This Bill sounds like the intent is for the putative father to be able to trump

the woman's decision.

[BattyDem]

21. Exactly ... and that's insulting, degrading and just plain wrong!

:grr:

Note to all politicians, government officials, clergyman and other misogynistic jackasses: Women have BRAINS and they are PERFECTLY CAPABLE of deciding what is best for them, their lives and their bodies! No one - and I mean NO ONE - has the right to control another human being's body!

:wtf:

[Book Lover]

18. Let's pretend this nonsense becomes law. I assume a death certificate

of the "father" will satisfy the legal requirement.

[NashVegas]

20. Oh, Hee, That's Brilliant

Just keep an eye on the newspaper.

[Breeze54]

22. Fuck them, fuck this and fuck that bill!!

My head is exploding!

[in_cog_ni_to]

24. I'd like to see a man try to stop me from having an abortion. Just try it.

:grr:

It's none of their fucking business what I do with MY body!

[Bluebear]

28. Call Bluebear, Ohio ladies. I will sign whatever I need to.

[Rosemary2205]

30. Are they seriously considering this????

or is this one or two freakoids in Ohio government grandstanding for the jesus freaks that have no hope in hell of getting this passed.

[Holly_Hobby]

32. More....

...

The proposal came less than two weeks after Rep. Tom Brinkman proposed legislation that would ban all abortions in Ohio. Brinkman, a Republican from Cincinnati, was one of eight representatives to co-sponsor Adams' bill.

With the recent liberal swing in Ohio state government, neither bill is likely to come to fruition. However, Adams' less extreme proposal has an outside chance of becoming law - a law that would have a major impact in Portage County and surrounding areas.

...

Precedent from the U.S. Supreme Court indicates that, even if Adams' bill passed, it would likely be ruled unconstitutional by the courts.

...

http://www.recordpub.com/news/article/2327981

[Why Syzygy]

33. These counties

have a considerable higher abortion rate than the rest of the state (from the article).

The proposal came less than two weeks after Rep. Tom Brinkman proposed legislation that would ban all abortions in Ohio. Brinkman, a Republican from Cincinnati, was one of eight representatives to co-sponsor Adams' bill.

With the recent liberal swing in Ohio state government, neither bill is likely to come to fruition. However, Adams' less extreme proposal has an outside chance of becoming law - a law that would have a major impact in Portage County and surrounding areas.

Portage has been among the leading Ohio counties in abortion-to-birth ratios since abortion was legalized in 1973. Since 1996, about 20 percent of Portage County pregnancies have been aborted - the seventh highest percentage in the state according to information from the Ohio Department of Health. The total comes to more than 4,300 abortions in 10 years.

Cuyahoga County has the highest abortion percentage with more than 30 percent of its residents' pregnancies being terminated. Summit County is also near the top of the list with a 21 percent termination rate.

Mackura doesn't think those numbers are likely to change anytime soon, though. Precedent from the U.S. Supreme Court indicates that, even if Adams' bill passed, it would likely be ruled unconstitutional by the courts.

[Raejeanowl]

34. That Dog Don't Hunt

I can't see this idiotic piece of legislation passing in the most backward circumstances, but it would be interesting for follow-up and a few laughs.

One other point of devil's advocacy: A mother could selectively present a list of alleged possible fathers who never had relations with her, or those partners who she knew were NOT the biological father. Why would THOSE persons object to the abortion?

This scenario would still exclude the biological father from the decision-making, undermining the already ridiculous intentions of the bill.

[Elspeth]

40. There has been so much legislation that we thought would "never pass"

I fear that in the current climate, this might get through.

[jazzjunkysue]

37. That means the State of Ohio will require applications to have sex.

Wonder what they'll charge for that?
:rofl:

[HuffleClaw]

38. a fundraising initiative

it'll probably never actually get voted on

[defendandprotect]

41. Evidently they don't know how many men want women to get an abortion -- !!!!!!

So, what if the female wants to go ahead with the pregnancy an the male wants her to have an abortion?

[DeSwiss]

43. K&R!!! n/t

[cynatnite]

44. Stupid Fuckers!

I'd like to know how in the blue blazes they think they are going to force women to remain pregnant who don't want to be. If woman wants an abortion bad enough...she'll get it.

That's when women start dying.

:grr:

[Pushed To The Left]

45. The right wing continues to get scarier every day

I am male, and I believe that if we could get pregnant, the religious right would be pro-choice!

[Le Taz Hot]

46. A great suggestion on another thread

was to name any one of the Republican males supporting this bullshit as the father. I don't know, I thought it was pretty imaginative.

[jmowreader]

47. Do they have correspondence courses for abortionists?

The kind that used to advertise on matchbook covers back when people lit up with matches? "Make Big Money As An Abortion Doctor Just Across The Ohio State Line! Call Fetus-B-Gone Abortion School Today!"

[Behind the Aegis]

48. What century is this?

How is it that as "enlightened" as we are supposed to be, shit like this keeps coming up?! Female adults do NOT need a man's permission for anything concerning her body! If married or in a relationship, then a consult would be nice, but anything past that...well, it's her choice!

[Hippo_Tron]

49. I hope Governor Strickland has his veto pen ready