Every Friday, we bring you all the repro news that’s fit to reprint! Here’s what happened in reproductive politics this week:
Another anti-choice bill works tirelessly to solve a problem that doesn’t exist: “Despite no evidence that sex-selective abortions are happening in the state at all, a sex-selective abortion ban passed the South Dakota House last week,” reports Feministing. Oh, turns out the ban is also racist.
…Part two: After their discrimination bill was vetoed by Jan Brewer, who also publicly reprimanded them, Arizona State House Republicans decided to put off working on the budget again by taking up a bill that would set up new inspections for abortion clinics “like the kind of inspections that happen at Burger King and McDonald’s.” That is a real quote from the New York Times.
Passed unanimously: A Madison, WI ordinance instating buffer zones around the city’s healthcare clinics to protect patients from anti-choice protesters.
Out of the mouths of jerks: Maine State Rep. Lawrence Lockman regrets being on the record when he said that legal abortion justifies rape in 1991.
…Part two: In Virginia, Republican State Sen. Steve Martin took to Facebook to make an anti-choice rant calling pregnant women “hosts.”
…Prompting the actor Steve Martin to compose this tweet of clarification:
“While 97 percent of OB-GYNs encountered patients seeking abortions, only 14 percent provided them”: The Daily Beast investigates the barriers between potential abortion providers and the training they need.
Google Doodles: Has a diversity problem.
Our Feminist Killjoy Heroines of the Week: aren’t real. They’re Lisa Simpson, Leslie Knope, Tami Taylor, and Rory Gilmore, of course.
Happy Friday!
A Few Choice Words 