February Policy Update

With the new year came a new Congress, and with it, an onslaught of abortion talk. Perhaps unsurprisingly, abortion is yet again at the forefront of the policy debate.

The 114th Congress wasted no time in introducing its first anti-abortion bill, as promised, though many were surprised to see it introduced on the very first day.The bill, aptly timed as March for Life participants descended upon DC, aimed to ban abortion nationally after 20 weeks. Why 20 weeks, you might ask? Conservative lawmakers allege that it is at the 20 week point that fetuses can begin to feel pain. Never-mind that research just doesn’t support that claim, or that the Supreme Court has ruled that women have the right to an abortion even beyond 20 weeks.

Fortunately, there were two bright spots in an otherwise dismal situation. In a surprising turn of events, Republican women and moderate party members pulled the bill as a result of objections to exception requirements within the bill; namely, that a woman would need to report a rape to police in order to be eligible for the 20-week ban exception. Of course, legislators are now moving to pass the ban at the state level, but the pulling of the national bill was a big win.

The second bright spot? There was a noticeable surge of high-visibility personal stories about abortion.

We’ve heard about the vast significance of the personal story in past months. Pro-choice advocates across the nation have joined the push to get those stories out there – and many have seen a real change. The personal story, and the scientific evidence behind its effectiveness, has actually received significant media attention in past weeks, and not just within the abortion conversation. The recent media storm around vaccine safety and the anti-vaxxer movement has led many to highlight the value of a personal anecdote to change minds – research shows that a personal appeal is far more effective than a barrage of facts in changing someone’s opinion.

In fact, one lawmaker very publicly announced his change of heart this month. Rep. Tim Ryan (D-OH) previously identified himself as a pro-life Catholic. In an op-ed in a local Ohio paper, he wrote,

“I have sat with women from Ohio and across the nation and heard them talk about their varying experiences: abusive relationships, financial hardship, health scares, rape and incest. There are endless stories about women in troubling situations — the woman who became pregnant and has a violent spouse; the woman who lost her job and is unable to afford another child; or the underage girl worried she’ll be thrown out of her house if she reveals her pregnancy.

These are just a few of the many stories I have heard. Each of these women lived through difficult and personal situations with few options and no clear path to take. This is why there is no easy answer.

These women gave me a better understanding of how complex and difficult certain situations can become. And while there are people of good conscience on both sides of this argument, one thing has become abundantly clear to me: the heavy hand of government must not make this decision for women and families.”

Rep. Ryan’s evolution is a hugely positive development, of course, but what is especially exciting about his change of heart is the fact that he valued, and credited, women’s personal experiences and beliefs. Strong women across the state of Ohio shared their stories, and they made a change. It worked on a Congressman that openly supported abortion ban legislation throughout his career. It can work on others.

It’s only February and conservative lawmakers have shown the country they mean business on their anti-choice tactics this year. Advocates for reproductive justice have shown that they’re just as serious about protecting the health and freedom of women everywhere. With the strong momentum of personal stories on their side, this year will be a challenge – but can very well be a success.

#Vacation