Blogs Comment On McCain's Abortion Stance, Dem Plank, Report On Abortion's Mental Health Impact, Ballot Measures

Main Category: Abortion
Also Included In: IT / Internet / E-mail;  Mental Health;  Women's Health / Gynecology
Article Date: 20 Aug 2008 - 10:00 PDT

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The following is a summary of selected women's health-related blog entries.

American Psychological Association Reports

~ "Report Confirms Abortion Does Not Cause Mental Illness," Vicki Saporta, National Abortion Federation Blog-Saporta Reporter: An APA report concluding that "women who have abortions have no greater risk of mental health problems than if they carry the pregnancy to term" underscores the "importance of providing nonjudgmental, medically accurate information," according to Saporta's blog entry (Saporta, "National Abortion Federation Blog-Saporta Reporter," 8/15).

~ "Two Important Reports from the American Psychological Association," Nan Hunter, Feminist Law Professors: The APA report on mental health and abortion, as well as another APA report on antidiscrimination policies for transgender people, have "important public policy dimensions," according to Hunter. The mental health report "should help opponents" of an abortion ban ballot initiative in South Dakota, while the transgender report is expected to lead to an APA endorsement of "laws protecting transgender people," Hunter writes (Hunter, "Feminist Law Professors," 8/16).

Democratic Party Platform on Abortion

~ "Progressive, Pro-Life and Full of Yourself," Frances Kissling, RH Reality Check: Although a proposed new Democratic Party platform "comes very close to embracing the full reproductive health agenda" that has "been consistently advocated by the pro-choice, progressive women's movement," a "loose coalition of progressive evangelicals and Catholics held a press event to toot their own horn," Kissling writes in a blog entry. "Not only is the new platform stronger in its support for the right to choose abortion, it embraces the concept of reproductive justice, including not only family planning but comprehensive sexuality education," according to Kissling. As the press conference by the group of "progressive pro-life" advocates went on, "it became clear that other than vague support for women who choose to continue pregnancies and 'caring adoption laws,' there was next to nothing in the plank these folks supported," Kissling writes, concluding that she is "certain that the quiet, experienced voices of pro-choice leaders carried far more weight than Democrats and fellow travelers who oppose a woman's right to decide whether abortion or childbearing and rearing is the best moral decision they can make" (Kissling, "RH Reality Check," 8/15).

McCain's Position on Abortion Rights

~ "Senator McCain's 'Thoroughly Pro-Life Pedigree,'" News and Views, National Right to Life Committee: Abortion-rights advocates are "making a major miscalculation in flagging" Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain's (Ariz.) "pro-life record," an entry in NRLC's blog says. According to the blog, McCain has made many "strongly pro-life statements" put together in a video montage. Abortion-rights advocates are "firmly convinced" that McCain is "staunchly pro-life" and that "exposing" his positions on abortion will "prove to be a sizeable net positive" for Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama (Ill.), according to NRLC's blog. Although the advocates are correct that McCain opposes abortion rights, they are incorrect by saying that his views will hurt his election chances, the blog says ("News and Views," National Right to Life Committee, 8/14).

Women's Health-Related Ballot Initiatives

~ "Ballot Initiatives Represent Multi-Pronged Attack on Choice," Kay Steiger, RH Reality Check: "This fall, ballot initiatives in three states -- California, South Dakota and Colorado -- attack women's health in different ways," Steiger writes in a blog entry. According to Steiger, "California's anti-choice groups have put forth what has become a traditional anti-choice attack: a parental notification measure that is designed to chip away at access to abortion." South Dakota is "again attempting an outright abortion ban, a measure that is designed to challenge Roe v. Wade in the Supreme Court," according to Steiger. She adds that Colorado residents will "vote on a new, extreme measure that would define a person's life as beginning at fertilization, outlawing not just abortions but also emergency contraception and birth control." Steiger concludes, "Altogether, the three bans represent a multi-pronged attack on choice appearing on the ballot this November. While in 2006 all eyes were on South Dakota, this fall reproductive rights activists have three states to watch" (Steiger, "RH Reality Check," 8/19).

Reprinted with kind permission from http://www.nationalpartnership.org. You can view the entire Daily Women's Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery here. The Daily Women's Health Policy Report is a free service of the National Partnership for Women & Families, published by The Advisory Board Company.

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