A new law against abortion has passed in the state of Texas
New Texas Abortion Law
One of the most radical abortion laws in the United States of America went into effect this Wednesday. The Supreme Court decided not to suspend a law in the state of Texas that prohibits abortion after six weeks of pregnancy, even in cases of rape or incest. In a statement, President Joe Biden denounced a law that "violates the constitutional right established by the Roe Wade decision of 1973", which recognized the right of women to abortion throughout the United States. The law, signed in May by Texas Governor Greg Abbott, a Republican, took effect on Wednesday. It prohibits the interruption of any pregnancy as soon as the heartbeat of the embryo is detected, something that happens after approximately six weeks of pregnancy. In Texas, nearly half of voters in the state support a ban on abortion at six weeks.
In a dissenting opinion, liberal minister Sonia Sotomayor wrote that the court's order was "stunning". On Wednesday, September 1, 2021, President Joe Biden condemned the law, calling it "extreme" and warning that it would "significantly harm" women's access to health care, he reported to the BBC. It's the toughest law against abortion rights in the United States since the 1973 Roe V. Wade high court ruling and part of an effort by Republicans to impose new restrictions on abortion across the country. At least 12 other states have enacted bans on early pregnancy, but all have been blocked from taking effect.
The Texas version is new in that it is intentionally designed to protect government officials from law enforcement, thus making legal challenges more difficult to protect. The law encourages any US citizen to file a civil action against anyone who provides abortion services or anyone who “assists or encourages” the procedure.
The Fight Against Voluntary Termination of Pregnancy
Nearly half (25 million) of the estimated 56 million abortions that take place worldwide each year are performed in unsafe conditions, in countries where abortion is illegal or highly restricted. These unsafe abortions are one of the leading causes of maternal death and disability. Most of them are in developing countries. It is estimated that unsafe abortion results in the deaths of 22 to 31,000 women each year. Deaths preventable through safe legal abortion.
Many artists have been working on the topic of abortion to inform the community.In 1998, a referendum to legalize abortion in Portugal failed and in response, the Portuguese artist Paula Rego created the Abortion Series (1988). These paintings, created in pastel tones, draw attention to the dangers of illegal abortion. The series eventually helped sway public opinion to create a second referendum in 2007.
Abortion SeriesPaula Rego
In Cindy Sherman’s “Untitled” (2019), a pregnant woman stares the viewer in the eyes while clutching her stomach. This work reminds us of how personal the experience of pregnancy is. "Mommy was here: she equally acceptable" (2019) by Dominique Duroseau draws attention to racial inequalities in child reproduction and care, rooted in the history of slavery.
Untitled” (2019) by Cindy Sherman
Christen Clifford's installation "I Want Your Blood" is made up of miniature perfume bottles filled with blood donated by menstruating people of all genders. The blood used in Clifford's work, as well as in Portia Munson's (1993) "Menstrual Prints" series, highlights the arbitrary framing of abortion as the end of life, since each menstrual period involves the elimination of an egg that could have been fertilized. and led to pregnancy.
Restricting women's access to abortion does not prevent abortion, but simply leads to more unsafe abortions. The liberality of abortion laws around the world is essential for safe abortion, but it needs to be accompanied by health policies that support the implementation of the law and work on removing the stigma of abortion in society, starting with education.
Sources: Observer, The Guardian, Euronews