Accepting pregnancy from rape 'as a gift from God'
Rape and Abortion
By ANDREW ROSENTHAL, NYT
Missouri Rep. Todd Akin’s repulsive comments about abortion and rape have lit up the Internet. In explaining his no-exceptions abortion policy he said: “First of all, from what I understand from doctors, [pregnancy from rape] is really rare. If it’s a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down.”
Even Mitt Romney, who generally hides behind the idea that he can’t control the crazy things other Republicans say, called those comments “insulting, inexcusable and, frankly, wrong.” (I love the “frankly” bit.)
It’s tempting to dismiss Mr. Akin’s imbecilic comments. But he is hardly the first Republican to peddle the pernicious nonsense that women can “shut down” a pregnancy in cases of “legitimate” rape. And if you bracket his biological mysticism, Mr. Akin is not that far outside the mainstream of the Republican Party.
Ever since Roe v Wade abortion has been entirely legal until viability, which occurs around 24 weeks. Laws banning abortion post-viability have traditionally included exceptions in cases of rape or incest or medical emergency. But certain states have chipped away at women’s reproductive rights by, first, disallowing abortion after just 20 weeks, and second, by whittling away at exceptions.
(More here.)
By ANDREW ROSENTHAL, NYT
Missouri Rep. Todd Akin’s repulsive comments about abortion and rape have lit up the Internet. In explaining his no-exceptions abortion policy he said: “First of all, from what I understand from doctors, [pregnancy from rape] is really rare. If it’s a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down.”
Even Mitt Romney, who generally hides behind the idea that he can’t control the crazy things other Republicans say, called those comments “insulting, inexcusable and, frankly, wrong.” (I love the “frankly” bit.)
It’s tempting to dismiss Mr. Akin’s imbecilic comments. But he is hardly the first Republican to peddle the pernicious nonsense that women can “shut down” a pregnancy in cases of “legitimate” rape. And if you bracket his biological mysticism, Mr. Akin is not that far outside the mainstream of the Republican Party.
Ever since Roe v Wade abortion has been entirely legal until viability, which occurs around 24 weeks. Laws banning abortion post-viability have traditionally included exceptions in cases of rape or incest or medical emergency. But certain states have chipped away at women’s reproductive rights by, first, disallowing abortion after just 20 weeks, and second, by whittling away at exceptions.
(More here.)
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