TW: Brief mention of rape, forced medical procedure
Okay, forget everything I have ever complained about or told you to do, politically. Forget if you don’t read political posts. Stop. WATCH/READ THIS RIGHT NOW.
For those of you who for some reason cannot or do not want to watch the video, allow me to summarize. Right now there is a law that has passed the Virginia legislature that would mandate a trans-vaginal ultrasound for anyone seeking an abortion. No exceptions.
Now that in and of itself does not sound so scary, right? Wrong. A trans-vaginal ultrasound is not a normal type of ultrasound. It is an ultrasound that is taken by sticking a probe into a woman’s vagina. And it is completely and totally medically unnecessary. The Republican legislators who have passed this bill admit to it being completely medically unnecessary. It exists for the sole purpose of discouraging women from getting abortions.
I honestly could care less what your personal views on abortion are, but here’s something we have to get straight right now: no matter how you feel about abortion or why, this is government-mandated rape. Think I’m exaggerating? Let’s look at how rape is defined by the federal government of the United States of America:
“The penetration, no matter how slight, of the vagina or anus with any body part or object, or oral penetration by a sex organ of another person, without the consent of the victim.”
Let’s re-iterate here: there are no exceptions. It doesn’t matter if you are getting an abortion one week or eight months into your pregnancy. You will be forcibly probed. It doesn’t matter if you are aborting for personal reasons or because it’s a medical necessity for either your safety or the safety of your child. You will be forcibly probed. It doesn’t matter if you are fourteen or forty. You will be forcibly probed. It does not matter if your child is the product of incest or even the product of rape. You will be forcibly probed.
Now, I don’t live or vote in Virginia. Technically, there is nothing I can do about this. But currently this bill is on the way to the governor’s desk, and the only hope there is of it not becoming law is if Virginia citizens contact the Governor and tell him about their opposition to him signing this into law. (Contact information is here. Please note that calling generally carries more weight than e-mailing does.)
Please re-blog this story. E-mail it to everyone you know. Tell them to e-mail it to everyone they know. Eventually, some of these people we all know should be from Virginia, and if you are from Virginia, you need to let your voice be heard now. Regardless of if you think life begins at conception, there is no justification, ever, for the government mandating the rape of women.
As sombody who has had one of these for a valid medical reason, I find this APPALLING. Speaking only from personal experience, it was invasive and uncomfortable on more than just a physical level. This is government sanctioned rape, and anyone who tells you otherwise is lying.
Wow. This is…really upsetting. Wtf.
Let me attempt to reblog this again with my commentary and hope it shows up. In any case, this is just awful. Having had to have a transvaginal ultrasound three times in my lifetime, I’m going to tell you that it’s extremely traumatizing, especially if you happen to be a rape victim. I have friends who wanted an early pregnancy ultrasound but when they found out it would have to be a transvaginal one, changed their mind and decided to wait for that reassurance that all was well.
Fuck you, Virginia. Seriously, fuck you.
Oh god oh god oh god oh god oh god
I’ve had a transvaginal ultrasound for a medical reason and it was not pleasant in any way, shape, or form. I am also sexual assault survivor and I cannot think of anything more awful to have done to you after a rape than this procedure.
I cannot. I actually had a gigantic rant written here but I accidentally deleted it. So let me just say, this is terrible.
