Dear Senator Patrick

People named Katie are so smart!

Here are some excerpts from this great blog entry, posted on RH Reality Check.

Dear Senator Dan Patrick,

Didn't we just do this? Two weeks ago, the State Affairs Committee of the Texas Senate heard testimony regarding another one of those abortion-related bills that pop up like clockwork every legislative session. This one, sponsored by you, was a mandatory ultrasound bill; the original text of the bill would require not only that ultrasound images be taken and displayed to the patient two hours before an abortion took place, but that the physician provide an audible heartbeat and "a simultaneous verbal explanation of the results of the ultrasound images, including... the presence of external members and internal organs."

But this letter isn't about that bill, not really. It's not even about the 85,000 women who receive abortions in Texas each year (and will continue to be subjected to a 24-hour waiting period and state-endorsed misinformation linking abortions to breast cancer, whether or not the bill passes). This article is actually about Rachel in Bexar County, whose mother is 73 years old and hasn't been able to afford to see a doctor for the past ten years, even though she found a lump in her breast several years ago. It's about Ivonne in El Paso County, a single mom who can't afford health insurance for herself and drives to Mexico when she needs to see a doctor or fill a prescription. It's about Anjail in Bell County, who "was never educated that no means no" and didn't realize it was rape when her partner forced her to have sex with him.

Senator Patrick, if I've done my math correctly, it seems to me that each year there are at least 11 million women and girls in Texas who AREN'T getting abortions.

If you're really passionate about women's reproductive health (and here I will perform a gross suspension of disbelief and claim that you are), why do you choose to ignore everything that doesn't have to do with preventing abortion?

I have listened to you and other legislators discuss in great detail the nuances of a clause about whether or not the patient may avert her eyes when her doctor displays the ultrasound. Meanwhile, Cheryl hasn't had a pap smear in over five years. And Sharon needs transportation to another town for a breast cancer screening, since she can't afford any of the clinics in the city where she lives.

I wish you would join the Healthy Women, Healthy Families coalition, Senator Patrick. I know we have diametrically opposed viewpoints on abortion. But that's okay. Because sometimes, reproductive health really isn't about abortion.

Signed,

Katie Mahoney

HB 36/SB 182 would stipulate that a woman must review her ultrasound image with her doctor at least two hours before an abortion can be performed, even for victims of rape or incest or women who have chosen to end a pregnancy due to fetal abnormalities or to preserve their health. Let's be real clear about the purpose of this bill: there are no medical reasons for imposing this requirement. Rather, this is a not-so-subtly veiled attempt to shame women into not getting abortions, regardless of their doctor's opinion about what is best for their health. Period.

Leading medical organizations - run by doctors, not lawmakers (shocking, I know), are opposed to this measure. The American Medical Association and American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists oppose requirements that use specific procedures for informed consent because they compromise a physician's ability to decide what information or treatment is in the best interest of the patient.

As a point of fact, all Planned Parenthood clinics do perform ultrasounds on women seeking abortions. This is done to date the pregnancy so that the doctor can decide the best course of action for the patient. Patients are given the opportunity to view the ultrasound, but are certainly not required to do so.

There's a common misconception held by those opposed to abortion that Planned Parenthood clinics (and presumable all abortion providers) for some reason want women to have abortions, that they run abortion factories and just love aborting little fetuses. Oh boy, guess what I got to do today! Sadly, they grossly misunderstand the vital services that PP's and other women's health clinics provide - necessary health care for women. Mammograms, pap smears, cervical cancer screening, STI treatment, and yes, sometimes abortions. The wonderful physicians who work at PP clinics do so because they have the best interests of their patients at heart, just like any other doctor. Shouldn't we let them decide how best to treat their patients, and not Senator Patrick or Representative Corte?

But as Katie Mahoney says, let's ignore abortion for a moment. Let's not focus on the fact that the vast majority of women getting abortions are already mothers, or intend to become mothers at some later point. Let's move beyond the fact that when women have made the decision to seek an abortion, they have already done the necessary critical thinking and soul-searching and have reached their decision with the help and guidance of friends, family and faith leaders.

Let's ignore all that and face the fact that healthcare in Texas is lacking. Women aren't getting the vital, life-saving screening and treatment they need. If we were all truly more concerned about women's health, as Senator Patrick says he is, then we would focus on increasing access to the healthcare services that Planned Parenthood provides.