The Supreme Court began hearing arguments in the Texas abortion bill this week, prompting, Seth Meyers to observe -“The reason colonoscopies aren’t regulated like abortions is because all of the men have – and some are a wholes.” That joke didn’t come out of left field. It’s well known that colonoscopies, liposuction and any number of common elective surgeries are far more dangerous than abortions. Still, they are performed in offices and clinics with far fewer restrictions than the Texas bill HR2 – and others like it place on abortion providers. The Supreme Court is tied, and waiting for the vote of just one man, Justice Kennedy. It wouldn’t hurt to drop him a note, because there is no way to predict how he will vote. Kennedy has weighed in on both sides of the abortion issue in the past.
A legislator in Kentucky where similar restrictions force women to have a medical consultation 24 hours before the procedure or before taking the pill, has created a bill ‘for men’s health.’ Before obtaining Viagra or other erectile dysfunction drugs, a man would be required to have a physical examination and written consent form signed by his spouse. Yes it’s silly, but I’d love to hear the legal arguments!
Restrictions citing ‘women’s safety’ have been used by anti-abortion groups to radically decrease the number of clinics since 2010. As Seth observes the only thing that the only things keeping pace in that amount of time, are new emojis and the likelihood of hearing Bruno Mars at the gym.
Cheer up – or not, you’ll always have Uptown Funk.