We have reached a new low. Even abortion-related research could potentially be outlawed. Or so it seems in Missouri. Lindsay Ruhr, a doctoral student at the University of Missouri, decided to conduct research into the effects of mandatory 72-hour abortion waiting periods for her dissertation. Sounds like an interesting study. As laypeople, we can make our own assumptions about what a burden waiting three days can be. But it would be nice to have someone take the time to PROVE what effect this has on patients. It would have been nice if that someone were a politician who imposes the laws, but hey, a researcher works too, right?
“I feel that my research is objective, and that the whole point of my research is to understand how this policy affects women. Whether this policy is having a harmful or beneficial effect, we don’t know,” Ruhr said.
Sounds legit. Her thesis was even approved by the university. That should be enough to get the ball rolling on her work, right? NOPE! Enter State Senator Kurt “Blah blah don’t think you're gonna bring facts into my ‘women can’t be trusted worldview'” Schaefer. He claims this study is BREAKING THE LAW by being a “marketing aid for Planned Parenthood.” Wait, getting to the realities of a law is a “marketing aid”? Or is it a bullshit detector, Kurt? The only reason you think it would be a “marketing aid” is because you probably (rightly) suspect that the study will show the 72-hour waiting period to be harmful. Otherwise, if you knew these mandatory wait times were good for women and felt the study would be a “marketing aid” for full-on anti-choice fuckery, we bet you’d be real fucking quiet.
For the record, the University of Missouri cancelled their contract with Planned Parenthood due to pressure from Schaefer and his goon squad in the Republican controlled State legislature. Ruhr isn’t receiving any financial aid from the University or the State. Sooo his points are null and void. He tried it! Malala didn’t fight for this.
#LPJLPlayOfTheDay
