GOP Lawmakers Want to Put Your Abortion Records Online

categories: Government, Health, Politics, Reproductive Health

Published October 09, 2009 @ 08:57AM PT

In case you missed this story yesterday, yes it's true: Republicans in the state of Oklahoma are trying to mandate the collection and online publication of abortion medical records.

Here's a list of some of the items that will be published ONLINE if this law passes:

Date of abortion

County in which abortion performed

Age of mother

Marital status of mother (married, divorced, separated, widowed, or never married)

Race of mother

Years of education of mother (specify highest year completed)

State or foreign country of residence of mother

Total number of previous pregnancies of the mother

Number of pregnancies that ended in live births

Number of pregnancies that ended in miscarriages

Number of pregnancies that ended in induced abortions

The law is intended to "prevent abortions" - not through accessible contraception or comprehensive sex education - but public shaming. Why not just add on another item on this horrific list that says, "Every woman who has ever had an abortion must wear a red A on their shirt" as well? Perhaps we can even get Nathaniel Hawthorne to rise from his grave and write a sequel to The Scarlet Letter.

Talk about government interfering with your privacy. This is one of the most absurd legislative attacks on women I've ever seen. It disgusts me that Republicans are actually considering this as a tactic to block women from having an abortion and move their anti-choice agenda forward.

My colleague at Air America, Megan Carpentier, gave a great explanation of this f*cked up legislation on the Rachel Maddow show last night. Check it out here.

Photo credit: quinn.anya

Share this Post

Comments (8)

Wow, and these are the same,"Grand Old Pigs," that claim to, "want our Constitution enforced." Our right to contract, without interference, will be violated. We all sign sign,"a right to privacy-contract," when we go to the doctors.

While they're at it.....why not sky-write the names of rape victims? Or, teenagers that conceived through incest? (F-U Republitards!)

My Question: "Are these Ok. Congressmen funded by the private health care sector?"

Posted by L.S. hope on 10/09/2009 @ 12:49PM PT
- Report close
  You must be signed in to report content.
- Reply
- 3 people like this comment. Like
For your comment to be published, you will need to confirm your email address after submitting your comment. In the process we will also create a Change.org account for you so you can track this and future conversations. Don't worry - we won't spam you. We just want to promote constructive dialogue and find that people are more respectful when they are not anonymous.

If you already have an account, click here to log in.

First Name:

Last Name:

Email:

Create Password:

reply to thread started by by L.S.
Check Spelling
- Email me when there are new posts to this thread
- Comment Policy
Cancel Reply
That is how these Taliban-wannabees started their attacks against Dr. Tiller. A dangerous extremist in the Attorney General's office pushed for a very similar policy with records. This is such a low. After all of the restrictions, harassment,and 30 years of terrorism, these people want to add to the problems by passing laws that have no positive value. Rev. Bookburn - Radio Volta

Posted by Rev Bookburn on 10/09/2009 @ 05:54PM PT
- Report close
  You must be signed in to report content.
- Reply
- 3 people like this comment. Like
For your comment to be published, you will need to confirm your email address after submitting your comment. In the process we will also create a Change.org account for you so you can track this and future conversations. Don't worry - we won't spam you. We just want to promote constructive dialogue and find that people are more respectful when they are not anonymous.

If you already have an account, click here to log in.

First Name:

Last Name:

Email:

Create Password:

reply to thread started by by Rev
Check Spelling
- Email me when there are new posts to this thread
- Comment Policy
Cancel Reply
This is not right! Public Shaming? Is this what Jesus DID to Mary Magdelyn... No. This is an invasion of personal Medical Privacy.... Publish online? Next thing you know they will want to know exactly what we all do in our bedrooms... Married or NOT! Wrong... they should think about spreading sex ed awareness besides ABSTINENCE... you see how well Abstinence ONLY worked for Bristol Palin lol? Abstinence is best, but if it were my child... and they felt in love and were going to do it anyways... I would rather they use a condom of the birth control pill, than me be a Grandma BEFORE they leave High School, right?

Posted by Rachel Russell on 10/09/2009 @ 10:29PM PT
- Report close
  You must be signed in to report content.
- Reply
- 3 people like this comment. Like
For your comment to be published, you will need to confirm your email address after submitting your comment. In the process we will also create a Change.org account for you so you can track this and future conversations. Don't worry - we won't spam you. We just want to promote constructive dialogue and find that people are more respectful when they are not anonymous.

If you already have an account, click here to log in.

First Name:

Last Name:

Email:

Create Password:

reply to thread started by by Rachel
Check Spelling
- Email me when there are new posts to this thread
- Comment Policy
Cancel Reply
Thats bullshit...

Those re-puke-a-bums need a good long stay behind the woodshed.

Posted by Thomas McHugh on 10/10/2009 @ 05:46AM PT
- Report close
  You must be signed in to report content.
- Reply
- 1 person likes this comment. Like
For your comment to be published, you will need to confirm your email address after submitting your comment. In the process we will also create a Change.org account for you so you can track this and future conversations. Don't worry - we won't spam you. We just want to promote constructive dialogue and find that people are more respectful when they are not anonymous.

If you already have an account, click here to log in.

First Name:

Last Name:

Email:

Create Password:

reply to thread started by by Thomas
Check Spelling
- Email me when there are new posts to this thread
- Comment Policy
Cancel Reply
Signed...

Miss nedeau...

Could you please remember to include a link to any petitions associated with your blog articles in the article itself ?

I found that one by accident and while Im glad I did, I have to wonder how many more Ive missed...

Thank you.

Posted by Thomas McHugh on 10/10/2009 @ 06:04AM PT
- Report close
  You must be signed in to report content.
- Reply
- Like
For your comment to be published, you will need to confirm your email address after submitting your comment. In the process we will also create a Change.org account for you so you can track this and future conversations. Don't worry - we won't spam you. We just want to promote constructive dialogue and find that people are more respectful when they are not anonymous.

If you already have an account, click here to log in.

First Name:

Last Name:

Email:

Create Password:

reply to thread started by by Thomas
Check Spelling
- Email me when there are new posts to this thread
- Comment Policy
Cancel Reply
While I am not an advocate for abortion...it takes away an innocent life; I do not agree with posting the names of women who have had one. Abstinence IS the only 100% that you will not get pregnant. Any other form of birth control is not fool proof and will let you down eventually. Why are so many people against this teaching? Is it because they want their "play" but not the consequence? People who promote abstinence only are not trying to undermine a womans right but trying to teach that it is better to just wait than to have to make a difficult decision if things don't happen the way you planned it.

Posted by April Bell on 11/05/2009 @ 02:46PM PT
- Report close
  You must be signed in to report content.
- Reply
- Like
How many teenage pregnancies, which result in abortion, is going to take, before you realize "Abstinence Only," doesn't work?

My Mother never talked to me about sex, other than to say, "don't do it." Yet, I found myself pregnant at 16.

Why not show them a live birth, stretch marks, sagging breast? A baby is a blessing, yes. But, had I known, they wake up every 3 hours in the middle of the night, that I would be kicked out of my home, and my friends would be all but gone; might have thought twice about my actions.

Comprehensive steps should be taken before high-school. It's pretty hard to explain to young girls that they should respect their bodies, when sex sells. Simply saying, "don't do it," is a command. Why not explain, "why" we would prefer they wait? And if they decide against our wishes, at least they would have the proper information and tools at their disposal.

My Mother can't even say the word, "vagina," without blushing. (Maybe this is why I was so ill informed?) But some parents automatically assume, their children will just wait.

Our government even recognizes "sex," as a basic human emotional need. So, if your like my Mother, or the assuming parents, wouldn't you rather an educated individual inform your child about sex?

Posted by L.S. hope on 11/06/2009 @ 12:18AM PT
- Report close
  You must be signed in to report content.
- Like
Reply to thread
For your comment to be published, you will need to confirm your email address after submitting your comment. In the process we will also create a Change.org account for you so you can track this and future conversations. Don't worry - we won't spam you. We just want to promote constructive dialogue and find that people are more respectful when they are not anonymous.

If you already have an account, click here to log in.

First Name:

Last Name:

Email:

Create Password:

reply to thread started by by April
Check Spelling
- Email me when there are new posts to this thread
- Comment Policy
Cancel Reply
If a woman's medical records are not going to be private anymore, then they should publish every time a man purchases the prescription of Viagra, Cialis, and Levitra and how many times they have had relations with a woman other than their significant other!

Posted by Sue King on 11/15/2009 @ 10:50AM PT
- Report close
  You must be signed in to report content.
- Reply
- Like
For your comment to be published, you will need to confirm your email address after submitting your comment. In the process we will also create a Change.org account for you so you can track this and future conversations. Don't worry - we won't spam you. We just want to promote constructive dialogue and find that people are more respectful when they are not anonymous.

If you already have an account, click here to log in.

First Name:

Last Name:

Email:

Create Password:

reply to thread started by by Sue
Check Spelling
- Email me when there are new posts to this thread
- Comment Policy
Cancel Reply

Add a Comment

For your comment to be published, you will need to confirm your email address after submitting your comment.

If you already have an account, click here to log in.

First Name:

Last Name:

Email:

Create Password:

Comment

Check Spelling

Email me when there are new posts to this thread
Comment Policy

Comments on Change.org are meant for further exploration and evaluation of the ideas covered in the posts. To that end, we welcome constructive comments. However, we reserve the right to delete comments that are offensive, abusive, or off-topic; that contain ad hominem attacks; or that are designed to subvert or hijack comment threads rather than contribute to them. Repeat offenders may be permanently removed from the site at our discretion.

Author

Jen Nedeau is a social media consultant, progressive activist, feminist speaker and writer. She currently lives in New York City, where she works full-time as the Director of Digital Strategy at Air America Media. In August 2008, Nedeau was selected to be the Editor of the WomensRights.Change.Org where she facilitates daily discussion about the feminist movement. Additionally, Nedeau volunteers as the Chief Technology Officer for New Leaders Council, a non-profit that offers exclusive training for young leaders. You can follow her on Twitter @HumanFolly or learn more here: www.jennedeau.com.