Alabama Republicans Are Finding Horrifying New Ways to Target Abortion

In news that will surprise no one, Republicans keep trying to punish people for having abortions because water is wet and today is a day that ends in “y.” It’s not enough to make access to safe abortions harder to get than tickets to Taylor Swift’s Eras concert. No. They have to make sure you get punished if you manage to get one, too, because cruelty is the point, always.

Today’s fresh hell comes courtesy of Alabama, where the Republicans are targeting self-managed abortions by utilizing child endangerment laws. When you’re ranked 46th out of 50 in childhood well-being, clearly this is where your priorities should be, Alabama Republicans. Good job. Really nailed it, there.

Now that we’re living in a post-ROE hellscape, it’s The Human Life Protection Act of 2019‘s time to make life harder for people because Republican legislation’s sole purpose is to make your life miserable unless you’re a billionaire or a sentient corporation. The act, which resulted in a near-total ban on abortions in the state except in cases where the mother’s life is in danger, is now being utilized to find a way to punish people if they’ve had a self-managed abortion. You know, a medical procedure that is none of the government’s business.

Normally, abortion bans only seek to punish abortion providers, not pregnant people themselves. But Alabama wants to be different. Per 1819 News:

While mothers cannot be criminally charged for surgical abortions, any attempt to chemically abort a pregnancy could put mothers in danger of prosecution under chemical endangerment laws.

So what this means is if you obtain a chemical abortifacient, you live in Alabama, and you are found out, you could face prosecution for a felony, all because Republicans in Alabama are too busy worrying about controlling other people’s bodies and don’t seem too concerned that they rank 49th out of 50 for living standards. Cooooool.

By the way, in case it wasn’t clear that this legislation is truly the worst, the act also made it a felony for medical professionals to perform an abortion in Alabama unless the mother’s life was in danger with “clearly defined” risks. How much do you want to bet a team of medical professionals were consulted on what those risks were? LOL. I know, I’m being daft. You know who’s had it too good for too long, especially lately? Doctors and nurses. We clearly have a never-ending supply of them. Medical burnout? Never heard of it!

Basically what we’ve learned is that the Republicans in Alabama love to punish people, and don’t seem too concerned about making any improvements to their actual state, or more importantly, helping the people who live there. I wish I could tell you there’s a legal challenge working its way through the courts right now, but nope. This injustice stands, for now.

(via 1819 News, image: Julie Bennett/Getty Images)