Missouri Gov. Mike Parson (R) last week signed a bill banning abortion at eight weeks. In addition, the state's only abortion clinic could be closed by the end of the week because the state is threatening to not renew its license. Laws introduced by Missouri, Indiana and Georgia drew strong reaction from AAPI women.
“What they are doing is to weaponize the inspection process and to politicize it,” said Dr. Leana Wen, President/CEO of Planned Parenthood, noting requirements that have been placed on abortion clinics such as wider hallways and required pelvic exams.
“All of these regulations have only one purpose, which is to shut down the ability of health centers to provide safe, legal abortions, which is not going to stop abortion, but it will stop safe, legal abortions,” Wen added while appearing Wednesday on "CBS This Morning."
Planned Parenthood is suing to keep providing abortions at that clinic, A judge is expected to announce his ruling today (May 30).
"We hope that the court will see exactly what's happening, which is that over the last 10 years the state of Missouri has imposed regulation upon regulation that has no basis in medicine," Wen said. "We've complied with all of them because we want to keep our health center open. These are things like making our hallways extra wide, forcing women to wait 72 hours — even having unnecessary, invasive pelvic exams."
"We hope that the court will see exactly what's happening, which is that over the last 10 years the state of Missouri has imposed regulation upon regulation that has no basis in medicine," Wen said. "We've complied with all of them because we want to keep our health center open. These are things like making our hallways extra wide, forcing women to wait 72 hours — even having unnecessary, invasive pelvic exams."
“This is not…a pro-life issue at all. This is about a standard of care,
Planned Parenthood's legal action comes as a series of states have passed laws to restrict abortion rights.
“On the heels of Georgia and Alabama, Missouri politicians have chosen yet again to attack our agency to make decisions about our lives by introducing legislation that would ban abortion after 8 weeks and so-called “sex-selective abortions.”
Sex-selective abortion bans target Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) women in particular by promoting dangerous, false racial stereotypes: proponents of the bill misleadingly claim, using overt racism, that these bans on abortions are necessary to prevent AAPI pregnant people from propagating “backwards” cultural preferences for male babies. A study completed in 2014 found that Asian Americans in the United States are actually giving birth to more girls on average than white Americans are.
“Make no mistake: these bans do not promote gender equity, and instead do the extreme opposite, limiting the ability of AAPIs to make crucial decisions with regard to our own health and well-being. Anti-abortion legislators cannot be allowed to hide behind the mantle of “saving” women of color to advance racist, sexist legislation that impedes the rights of all women.
“Abortion will remain legal in Missouri until this ban goes into effect, unless the courts do the right thing and act to stop this racist, sexist policy in its tracks. We refuse to allow our communities to be scapegoated so that politicians can continue to trample our agency and dignity, and AAPI women will continue to resist and powerfully oppose bans like these with even more intensity, persistence, and resolve.”Missouri's actions is just the latest attempt of some states to severely limit access to clinics like Planned Parenthoodd that offers abortion as one of its healthcare services.
In various states whose state legislatures are controlled by Republicans, conservative lawmakers are trying to eliminate funding for family planning or block Planned Parenthood's participation in public health programs. While state attacks on Planned Parenthood patients vary, the outcome would be the same: women's ability to receive basic health care -— including cancer screenings, well-woman exams, and birth control — from their trusted health care provider would be severely undermined.
In a decision Tuesday, the Supreme Court denied petition for review of an Indiana law banning abortion on the basis of sex, race, or disability of the fetus.
The federal appeals court for the Seventh Circuit found the law to be unconstitutional, and Indiana appealed that decision to the Supreme Court. Because the Supreme Court has denied Indiana’s petition, the appeals court’s decision stands, and the law remains unconstitutional. In its opinion, the Supreme Court explained that it was not ruling on the constitutionality of these types of abortion bans and was denying the petition because no other federal appeals court other than the Seventh Circuit has considered this issue.
The normally reticent Justice Clarence Thomas issued a 20-page opinion on the case indicating how he would vote if ever a challenge to Roe v. Wade were to reach the High Court. Part of his statement, which was riddled with half-truths and many of his assertions were without evidence, raised the spectre of a stereotiype about some Asian countries and he made no distinction between those countries and Asian Americans.
"Thomas points to data on “widespread sex-selective abortions” in Asia and asserts that “recent evidence suggests that sex-selective abortions of girls are common among certain populations in the United States as well,” said Choimorrow in a statement. The racist myth being perpetuated by the states limited access to abortion is that families from these ethnic groups prefer sons over daughters.
“Thomas’ statements promote dangerous, false stereotypes about AAPI women, perpetuating ludicrous claims that these bans are necessary to prevent AAPI pregnant people, particularly Asian immigrants, who they claim have 'backwards' cultural values preferring male babies, from having sex-selective abortions," continued Choimorrow. "In truth, a study completed in 2014 found that Asian Americans are actually giving birth to more girls on average than their white American counterparts.
“Using overt racism and xenophobia, these bans send the dangerous message that AAPIs cannot be trusted to make our own reproductive decisions .... Indiana’s ban was deeply concerning to our communities because the only two women who have ever been criminally prosecuted by the state for their pregnancy outcomes have been AAPI."
In fact, analysis from the National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum has shown that foreign-born Chinese American, Korean American, and Indian American women are having more daughters than white American women, on average.
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| PADMA LAKSHIMI |
Support for women's right to make their own healthcare decisions is strong among Asian-American women, even as it has recently waned in the American population at large. The National Asian Women’s Health Organization found that nearly 70 percent of Asian-American women back the decision to abort; 90 percent support it in cases of rape or incest.
As the debate over the right for women to make decisions about their healthcare, several AAPI celebrities have come forth to speak out.
Spurred by Trump's appointment of conservative activist judges, including his two appointments to the Supreme Court, states with conservative legislatures and governors have passed laws that will likely be challenged in the courts. Their hope is that if enough of these cases are appealed to the Supreme Court that Roe v. Wade would be overturned.
Padma Lakshimi, in addition to hosting the Top Chef television show, has been an outspoken social activist.
Jameela Jamil, costar in The Good Place, tweetd about her own abortion following the introduction of Georgia's ban on Monday.
She revealed: "I had an abortion when I was young, and it was the best decision I have ever made.
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