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As of Friday, Alabama, Georgia, and Missouri signed bills to enact the harshest laws on abortion. Alabama outlawed the procedure even in cases of incest and rape while Missouri banned abortion after the eighth week and Georgia at the sixth week. At this early in a pregnancy many women are unaware that they’re even pregnant. Louisiana is reportedly expected to sign the six-week abortion ban should the bill pass legislature. All of these bills are direct attempts to overturn Roe v. Wade – the 1973 high court ruling that provides women a fundamental “right to privacy” and has the liberty to choose whether abortion is an option for her or not.

While many Americans are up in debate over the death of a fetus, many are missing the true gruesome fate of this whole argument – old, out of touch, straight, white men don’t care at all about you or your pregnancy. What they do care about is power and they fear they are losing it.

They’ve masked their true intent. These conservative extremists are twisting Christian words framed as “saving children’s lives” when their goal is to suppress women and minorities. Remember, these are the same type of men who called their cross burning intimidation tactics “cross lighting” ceremonies in which fire symbolized their faith in Christ. *side eye* And while I’m not necessarily pro-abortion, I’m definitely about the right to govern my own body, because once you allow men to take away your right to choose, what will they take away next?

And if these men truly stand for saving children’s lives, where’s that same energy for unarmed Black children shot by trigger happy police officers? Where’s that same energy over loose gun laws that lead to senseless mass shootings? Where’s that same energy for the 437,500 children in foster care huh?

As of 2016, the number of children in foster increased with the most dramatic increase seen in the great state of Georgia, which is also one of the top 10 states with the largest Black populations in America (along with Alabama and Louisiana). As the Associated Press cites, “[Georgia’s] foster-care population skyrocketed from about 7,600 in September 2013 to 13,266… The state is struggling to provide enough foster homes for these children and keep caseloads at a manageable level for child-protection workers.” But let’s go ahead and add a few more kids to the bunch!

The frequent shuffles of children from household to household also inflict severe long-term behavioral and emotional problems contributing to mental health issues and poor academic achievement which can cycle them right back in to another government system like prison or poverty. Yet another means in which the government limits upward mobility for women and people of color.

There’s also the blatant disregard for maternal quality of life. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Black women are three to four times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women. It’s been proven some medical professionals carry pre-conceived notions (backed by absolutely no evidence) that Black women have a higher pain tolerance and by doing so overlook the need for medical attention. “Basically, black women are undervalued. They are not monitored as carefully as white women are. When they do present with symptoms, they are often dismissed,” explained Dr. Ana Langer, director of the Women and Health Initiative at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston to Heart.org. So sis, why again should we let the government decide to force ill-prepared women to carry a baby, deliver it, and then endure the high risk of death associated with said birth for both the baby and mother to live an incredibly difficult life that seems more like a life sentence? If the mother chooses, she chooses out of love. When government officials consisting of straight, white men choose, its purely for selfish political gain.

This doesn’t even take into account that these men also want to close down centers like Planned Parenthood which provide prevention education and contraceptives, not just abortions. Without proper places to perform the medical procedure, women and girls may turn to more dangerous methods of handling the situation, like self-abortion or suicide. These men are setting up our women and girls in a catch-22, a perpetual cycle of hardship while they profit from our poor quality of life.

So the next time conservative extremists tout their “live saving” rally talk, remember their true motives because it ain’t about the kids it’s about power. Hmm, I wonder what they’ll try to take away next…?

If you have questions regarding prevention or upcoming appointments with Planned Parenthood, call 1-800-230-PLAN.

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These Abortion Bills Aren’t About Unborn Children, They’re About Power!  was originally published on hellobeautiful.com