I've blogged in the past about efforts in South Dakota to impose draconian restrictions on women's reproductive rights. Falling short of their ultimate goal of overriding Roe v. Wade, the state's anti-abortionists gained a major victory last Friday when the state attorney general told doctors in South Dakota that they are now legally required to tell women "that the abortion will terminate the life of a whole, separate, unique, living human being."
Women also would have to be told they have a right to continue a pregnancy and that abortion may cause them psychological harm, including thoughts of suicide. "So basically," as Jessica Valenti blogged at Feministing, "they have to provide patients with false information."
Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota is fighting back against this law, the only one of its kind in the US, which forces doctors to give ideologically charged, nonscientific and inaccurate messages to their patients. "We remain optimistic that, in time, the court will find that the law is unconstitutional," says PPMNS President and CEO Sarah Stoesz.
Peter Rothberg
I’ve blogged in the past about efforts in South Dakota to impose draconian restrictions on women’s reproductive rights. Falling short of their ultimate goal of overriding Roe v. Wade, the state’s anti-abortionists gained a major victory last Friday when the state attorney general told doctors in South Dakota that they are now legally required to tell women “that the abortion will terminate the life of a whole, separate, unique, living human being.”
Women also would have to be told they have a right to continue a pregnancy and that abortion may cause them psychological harm, including thoughts of suicide. “So basically,” as Jessica Valenti blogged at Feministing, “they have to provide patients with false information.”
Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota is fighting back against this law, the only one of its kind in the US, which forces doctors to give ideologically charged, nonscientific and inaccurate messages to their patients. “We remain optimistic that, in time, the court will find that the law is unconstitutional,” says PPMNS President and CEO Sarah Stoesz.
To find out how to get involved and counter the anti-choice agenda in South Dakota, check out PPMNS’s action page.
Peter RothbergTwitterPeter Rothberg is the The Nation’s associate publisher.