The Impending Disaster of Florida’s 6-Week Abortion Ban

Today, if a pregnant person in Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, Louisiana, or eastern Texas needs an abortion for any reason, they’re probably gaming out how to get to Florida. In the six months after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, the Sunshine State saw the largest increase in abortions in the U.S. But a new six-week abortion ban Republican governor Ron DeSantis recently signed into law will likely end Florida’s status as a safe haven for abortion seekers in the Southeast, forcing them to travel even farther distances to obtain care or to self-manage their abortion at home.

Polling has shown that about 75 percent of Florida voters oppose the six-week ban, which is not in place yet. It is, in effect, a total abortion ban, since most people do not even know they’re pregnant at six weeks. Even if patients are able to determine they’re pregnant that early, Florida requires them to visit a doctor in person twice — with a 24-hour waiting period in between — in order to obtain an abortion. That logistical challenge has always been difficult to overcome, but it will likely be impossible for most patients under the new law’s truncated timeline. While the measure contains exceptions for rape and incest, survivors are only allowed to obtain abortion care until 15 weeks of pregnancy if they can provide evidence of their assault. The ban also grants an exception for certain medical conditions, but requires that two physicians attest that the abortion is needed to save the pregnant person’s life. These kinds of exceptions are rarely granted in practice.

North Dakota adopted one of the strictest abortion bans in the country​ yesterday.​ Speaking of bans, these are the books people tried to keep off shelves the most in 2022, according to the American Library Association. Nobody likes cow’s milk. Barbie is launching its first doll with Down syndrome. ​Chuck Schumer says the Senate will vote on the Equal Rights Amendment this week. When it comes to melatonin, what you see on the label isn’t always what you get. And happy World Penguin Day.

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