Do You Support the Anti-Vasectomy Act?
Author of the bill says "Thousands of children are deprived of birth in this state every year because of the lack of state regulation over vasectomies."
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Pro-life measures taken by the Republican-sponsored Georgia Assembly House Bill 954, which is currently making its way through the legislature, have spawned a newly proposed bill by state Democrats seeking to "call attention to the double standard on reproductive rights" through the Anti-Vasectomy Act.
If passed, HB 954 would criminalize abortions after 20 weeks and make exceptions more strict, effectively changing current laws allowing abortions up until the third trimester. The Atlanta Journal Constitution reported the penalty would be anywhere from one to 10 years in prison, if convicted of performing an abortion after that time.
Proponents of the new act, which they say is in the same vein as HB 954 through the regulation of vasectomies for men, released a statement Tuesday:
“Thousands of children are deprived of birth in this state every year because of the lack of state regulation over vasectomies,” said bill author Rep. Yasmin Neal in a released statement. “It is patently unfair that men can avoid unwanted fatherhood by presuming that their judgment over such matters is more valid than the judgment of the General Assembly, while women’s ability to decide is constantly up for debate throughout the United States.”
House Minority Leader Stacey Abrams added, “The Republican attack on women’s reproductive rights is unconscionable. What is more deplorable is the hypocrisy of HB 954’s author. If we follow his logic, we believe it is the obligation of this General Assembly to assert an equally invasive state interest in the reproductive habits of men and substitute the will of the government over the will of adult men.”
Members of the Georgia House Democratic Caucus will hold a public hearing Wednesday, Feb. 22 from 3-4:30 p.m. The hearing has been moved to room 216 at the state Capitol.
Do you agree with the logic behind the Anti-Vasectomy Act? Or do you believe the terms HB 954 seem fair? Tell us in the comments.
Mary Cahill-Roberts
3:11 pm on Wednesday, February 22, 2012
What?? This is ridiculous. A woman can choose not to have sex, as well as any man. A woman can choose to have her tubes tied, as well as any man. This is a waste of our tax payers money. Stop the insanity.
Amanda L.
5:34 pm on Wednesday, February 22, 2012
I think it is fascinating that nobody bats an eye when trying to regulate women and their bodies, but let someone start talking about regulating men's choices and it's crazy talk. If women are not free to do what they want with their bodies, men shouldn't be either. That's the only point they ate trying to make here.
Jay Young
9:07 am on Thursday, February 23, 2012
Fair is relative... The argument is not comparing apples to apples. If it were, the supporting statement(s) would be comparing the impact of vasectomy to tubal ligation and/or hysterectomy.
The comments expressed in the article and argument compare vasectomy to abortion - a topic I rarely delve into. Why? The abortion argument is the principal example that there is NO separation of church and state. Voting is the next...
Lynn
9:47 am on Friday, February 24, 2012
The purpose of this bill is to point out the blatant hypocrisy involved in men making reproductive choices for women. It's amazing to me that people accept this pattern of decision-making without blinking, yet get all up in arms when women attempt to regulate men's reproductive choices. What's good for the gander is also good for the goose...except in this case the whole scenario is ridiculous. Men and women should be free to make their own choices re: reproductive matters without interference from government or the church.
Just A Grunt
4:00 pm on Friday, February 24, 2012
This is so stupid and displays the mentality of somebody who obviously never attended a single health class in their life. The proper comparison would be to compare vasectomy to tubal ligation in women. Abortion is an entirely different matter and I love how supporters try to characterize it as a women's health issue. That is unless the women's health in question happens to be the one that is getting aborted.