Indiana 49th in reproductive rights
A partnership between Ipas, National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, and SisterSong Women of Color Reproductive Health Collective has rated Indiana among the worst in the country for reproductive rights. Only neighboring Ohio fared worse. The site evaluates reproductive laws and apping "uses a penalty-points system to determine whether a state's laws and policies uphold sexual and reproductive rights".
Honestly, I do not know how Indiana ranked below South Dakota (46th), which recently enacted a ban on all abortions unless the mother's life is endangered. The partnership has not been informed of Indiana's "Choose Life" plate, so it's possible we could be ranked 50th next year. The detailed map has very detailed information about reproductive laws in every state.
Honestly, I do not know how Indiana ranked below South Dakota (46th), which recently enacted a ban on all abortions unless the mother's life is endangered. The partnership has not been informed of Indiana's "Choose Life" plate, so it's possible we could be ranked 50th next year. The detailed map has very detailed information about reproductive laws in every state.
posted by torporindy at 7/06/2006
11 Comments:
Somehow, I'm not surprised...
Wow! I knew it was bad but 49th.
I've never really encountered any obstacles here personally. But then again, I've never been faced with a particuliarly tough choice.
Wonder if the (no longer in office) words of Cecilia Fire Thunder made any difference in SD?
She's the tribal leader who said that their clinic would remain open and offer abortion as an option...
I don't even think it should be legal that health plans or hospitals can discriminate, but that's just my .02. (I shocked a few people the other day by saying St. Vincent's would be the last place I'd ever have a child. I want to make sure that the doctors and hospital I choose are giving me *all* the *best* choices, and isn't it funny that my last corporate job offered only two health plans, one with fine print that said in essence "we follow rules of the Catholic Church."
I suspect some of the difference in this study was in part due to the wide variety of restrictions we have in Indiana. Don't forget, single girls, it's perfectly legal for your pharmacist to refuse to fill your birth control prescription.
interesting... remind me never to reproduce in indiana when you get a chance.
I don't think this is a complete picture, at least for Indianapolis. Maybe outside of the city things are difficult, but in the last 12 years, nobody has ever refused to fill my prescription or given me shit about it. There are Planned Parenthoods on every side of town and there are secular hospitals too. Of course you'll have problems if you go to a Catholic institution for reproductive issues!
Granted, I do not know the story for towns outside of the metro area. I'm sure it is a different story entirely.
Indy is better than more rural areas. But there are problems even in Indy...and like Indygirl, I have never had any 'particularly tough choices' to make.
Here's my personal example: IUPUI's insurance policy does not cover birth control (even with a note from the doctor that it is being used to treat a medical condition like severe cramps, etc). It also does not cover routine STD tests. And it reportedly only covers about half the cost of routine prenatal care, according to my recently pregnant friend. So even IU, which is progressive enough to offer domestic partner benefits, does not believe in subsidizing female contraception and reproductive health. And unfortunately, there are no laws requiring them to do so.
Thank god I am not on that plan anymore. Not that I'm bitter.
Sorry for the rant.
Read this.
This is the best article ever about how these laws affect Hoosier women.
Thanks for posting that article. I was reminded of it by reading these comments. I think the article listed several policies of several pharmacy companies which allow their pharmacists to use their own personal discretion in deciding whether to dispense or not.
what you are seeing is the result of a concerted effort over the past 15 years by anti-abortion, pro-evangelical activists and politicans (including activists to elect like-minded politicians). I am not at all surprised. Women have seen progressive and sometimes agressive erosion of their rights for more than a decade.
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