By almost any measure, 2011 saw unprecedented attention to issues related to reproductive health and rights at the state level. In all 50 states, legislators introduced more than 1,100 reproductive health and rights-related provisions, a sharp increase from the 950 introduced in 2010. By year’s end, 135 of these provisions had been enacted in 36 states, again an increase from the 89 enacted in 2010 and the 77 enacted in 2009.  Fully 68% of these new provisions, 92 provisions in 24 states, restrict access to abortion services, a striking increase from last year, when 26% of new provisions restricted abortion. The 92 new abortion restrictions shattered the previous record of 34 abortion restrictions adopted in 2005. Comment by Kelly Bellin This review put out by the Guttmacher Institute outlines the historic extent of state attacks on reproductive health services in 2011. While the 1,100 provisions target everything down to pap smears and STI testing, 68% of the provisions restrict access to abortion services. There are currently less than half as many safe abortion providers as there was in 1982 under the Reagan administration. The de-funding of reproductive services is a direct attack on the health of working class women and female-bodied persons.  Additionally, prohibitions on insurance coverage of abortion procedures have made it infinitely more difficult for working class women to have access to abortion services. While abortion may yet be legal on paper, women’s reproductive rights are being cut vigorously by right wing attacks that face little organized opposition from Democrats or even the official women’s organization, apart from e-mail blasts asking for donations and appeals to call unresponsive legislatures. Gone are the days when the mainstream women’s groups would organize mass demonstrations in the face of such unprecedented attacks. One of the most significant legal attacks on reproductive justice came with Secretary Sebelius’ decision to overrule the FDA’s conclusion that Plan B should be given over-the-counter status. What’s more, is the fact that President Obama supported Sebelius because, as the father of two daughters, he doesn’t want young girls to be able to get Plan B “between the bubble gum and batteries.” This both dangerously restricts the resources available for young women and sends oppressive messages about emergency contraceptives, which have side/overdose affects arguably less severe than Tylenol or Advil. At the same time, the only provisions made and/or passed in 2011 regarding sex education were further limiting it to abstinence-only education. As of this year, Mississippi school districts will need to get specific permission from the State Department of Education every time it wants to include info on anything other than abstinence. Thirty-seven states now mandate abstinence-only education. The implications of this logic are that young women will lack information about their bodies, sex, and how to not get pregnant - yet also will have no resources if they do get pregnant. Dismantling sexism will not come out of concessions and politicians who give us lip service. We need to rebuild a serious, radical, fighting women’s rights movement that is not afraid to call out politicians from either party if they don’t stand clearly for reproductive justice. 
View Separately

By almost any measure, 2011 saw unprecedented attention to issues related to reproductive health and rights at the state level. In all 50 states, legislators introduced more than 1,100 reproductive health and rights-related provisions, a sharp increase from the 950 introduced in 2010. By year’s end, 135 of these provisions had been enacted in 36 states, again an increase from the 89 enacted in 2010 and the 77 enacted in 2009. 

Fully 68% of these new provisions, 92 provisions in 24 states, restrict access to abortion services, a striking increase from last year, when 26% of new provisions restricted abortion. The 92 new abortion restrictions shattered the previous record of 34 abortion restrictions adopted in 2005.

Comment by Kelly Bellin

This review put out by the Guttmacher Institute outlines the historic extent of state attacks on reproductive health services in 2011. While the 1,100 provisions target everything down to pap smears and STI testing, 68% of the provisions restrict access to abortion services. There are currently less than half as many safe abortion providers as there was in 1982 under the Reagan administration. The de-funding of reproductive services is a direct attack on the health of working class women and female-bodied persons. 

Additionally, prohibitions on insurance coverage of abortion procedures have made it infinitely more difficult for working class women to have access to abortion services. While abortion may yet be legal on paper, women’s reproductive rights are being cut vigorously by right wing attacks that face little organized opposition from Democrats or even the official women’s organization, apart from e-mail blasts asking for donations and appeals to call unresponsive legislatures. Gone are the days when the mainstream women’s groups would organize mass demonstrations in the face of such unprecedented attacks.

One of the most significant legal attacks on reproductive justice came with Secretary Sebelius’ decision to overrule the FDA’s conclusion that Plan B should be given over-the-counter status. What’s more, is the fact that President Obama supported Sebelius because, as the father of two daughters, he doesn’t want young girls to be able to get Plan B “between the bubble gum and batteries.” This both dangerously restricts the resources available for young women and sends oppressive messages about emergency contraceptives, which have side/overdose affects arguably less severe than Tylenol or Advil.

At the same time, the only provisions made and/or passed in 2011 regarding sex education were further limiting it to abstinence-only education. As of this year, Mississippi school districts will need to get specific permission from the State Department of Education every time it wants to include info on anything other than abstinence. Thirty-seven states now mandate abstinence-only education. The implications of this logic are that young women will lack information about their bodies, sex, and how to not get pregnant - yet also will have no resources if they do get pregnant.

Dismantling sexism will not come out of concessions and politicians who give us lip service. We need to rebuild a serious, radical, fighting women’s rights movement that is not afraid to call out politicians from either party if they don’t stand clearly for reproductive justice.