Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) is not only “horrified” by the new Alabama anti-abortion law, but she also took time on Thursday to blast Republicans for using the abortion issue to oppress women.
On Wednesday, Alabama Republicans passed a law criminalizing all abortions that would imprison doctors up to 99 years for performing the procedure.
Republicans in Georgia, Ohio, and Missouri have all passed similar legislation of varying degrees. Georgia’s law would follow women out-of-state, meaning any woman who leaves the state to get a legal abortion in another would be charged with murder. Even women who have a natural miscarriage could be charged with murder.
The extreme attack on women’s rights is an attempt to challenge Roe v. Wade in the Supreme Court.
On Wednesday, Ocasio-Cortez slammed the Alabama law, which like the Ohio law, would force little girls who were impregnated by rape to carry pregnancies to term and give birth against their will.
Alabama lawmakers are making all abortions a felony punishable w jailtime,incl women victimized by rape+incest.
Of course, no added punishments for rapists.
It’s going to @GovernorKayIvey‘s desk. She will decide the future of women’s rights in Alabama.https://t.co/IRR0EtsxHp
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) May 15, 2019
This law would force children – 12 year olds – to carry a pregnancy by their rapist.
This law would force people w/ mental disabilities to carry pregnancy by rape to term.
This law forces people to be pregnant against their own consent. It’s horrifying.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) May 15, 2019
On Friday, the freshman Democratic lawmaker blasted Republicans for oppressing women.
Abortion bans aren’t just about controlling women’s bodies.
They’re about controlling women’s sexuality. Owning women.
From limiting birth control to banning comprehensive sex ed, US religious fundamentalists are working hard to outlaw sex that falls outside their theology.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) May 16, 2019
Ultimately, this is about women’s power.
When women are in control of their sexuality, it threatens a core element underpinning right-wing ideology: patriarchy.
It’s a brutal form of oppression to seize control of the 1 essential thing a person should command: their own body.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) May 16, 2019
This sick effort by Republicans to control women should be rejected by the Supreme Court. It is unconstitutional and insulting. By pushing these kinds of laws, Republicans are hell-bent on siding with rapists and letting rapists control their victims long after they committed their crimes. If women needed another reason to vote Democratic in 2020 up and down the ballot, Republicans have given it to them.
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