The Texas Abortion Law

I will not stay silent while a war rages on my body and that of fellow women I care for

By: Mar y Sol "Maudie" Miller, BS, IBCLC

I realize the risk I'm taking by discussing this publicly. The risk for my business and my livelihood is real. I don't know about the rest of you, but I can't stay silent. As a woman, as a rape survivor, as a care provider, as a Latina, a minority, I'm just going to say it; this new abortion law seems wrong. Some of you may be thinking, "Omg, but you're in the business of babies, you want to let people murder babies?" My answer is no, absolutely not. I love babies. I love all people. I love all people enough to take a step back and ask myself, "What is this law really about?" What are people in power trying to accomplish?

Are they trying to force us to procreate because we've reached a slow down in our birth rates? Did anyone stop to think that maybe it's a good thing that we're slowing down? Truthfully, I stand to profit from this law being passed. After all, more babies more business, right?

So why would I oppose a law that is only going to help me financially? My answer is because I've helped rape victims. I've helped reluctant mothers. I've cried with these mothers as they've discussed their trauma or their health conditions. There are so many unwanted children in Texas. So many abused and neglected children. The foster care system is overrun. Do you think I like calling CPS when a new mother is neglecting her child? Absolutely not! But I do it anyway when I have to because I'm thinking about the safety and well-being of that child as well. Mothers that want babies are already on emotional overload and fall into postpartum depression. This new law only stands to maximize that for the women that had no other choice. I also speak to the men questioning this, think about your sister, your mother, your aunt - what would you want for her if she found out she was pregnant against her wishes or her will?

Going back to the slow down of births, have you taken a look around you lately? The world has finite resources and global population is steadily increasing. In Texas alone food insecurity has reached some of its highest levels in two decades. There is not enough to eat for everyone. I personally know; I grew up in a food insecure home. My mother worked tirelessly but sometimes it still wasn't enough. I grew to love cafeteria food at school because it was the one meal I knew I was going to be able to eat for certain that day. Do you know what it's like to be so hungry that you eat dirt just to have something in your stomach? I do.

I was a wanted child and we still struggled. If my picture was this bleak, I worry what's it going to be like for women that are forced to have children. If this abortion restriction law was passed out of concern for babies' and children's' well being, then where are the other laws to help these forcibly de facto new mothers? Child support, food help, career resources, child care, etc. All I seem to hear is, "Well, she shoulda thought about that before having that kid."

Let's talk about the labor shortage. Because of the corona virus many people have died. Many people are getting sick. There's not enough workers around anymore. People in power that need lots of labor in order to keep making a profit stand to benefit from this abortion law. If they can force women to birth more workers, they can keep making money. That's what all of this is really about. Money and power. Keeping the machine going. Party lines are irrelevant here. If left unchecked, any government will tend toward keeping people in power and focus upon the interests solely of those people whose agendas advance this end. Let's all just let that sink in for a minute.

Let's talk about rape. Let me be very clear - No one asks to be raped. For the people saying, "She asked for it, look what she's wearing," that's one in a centuries long line of sorry excuses for the atrocious behavior that has been allowed by some men. If women's rights are being infringed upon to this extent, where are the laws to control men? Have you ever heard of a woman raping a man? Rarely, if at all. That's because only 1 in 33 (3%) men are raped, whereas 1 in 5 (20%) women are raped. Even accounting for unreported cases, that disparity is staggering. Put another way, if you were at a table with one female friend, your two sisters, and your mother, then one of them has been raped statistically speaking. This number is higher if you, dear reader are female as well. It seems to me that we need to stop focusing so much on women, who are already suffering, and focus on men's education.

I draw on my own personal experience on this topic as well. Did you know that I took a self defense class and do you know what the police officers teaching the class told us group of women? If we are getting raped, not to scream, "rape, help!" But instead, scream "fire, help!" Because people are more likely to respond and help you. This is not ok y'all.

Delving even deeper into my story, in college, I was raped by a guy I liked and thought that I could trust. Do you know what I did? I went to the ER and got the morning after pill the very next day. I didn't make a police report. I didn't do a rape kit. It was all I could do to keep it together and not cry as the male nurse asked me questions during my intake. To his credit, he knew something was wrong and seemed to want to help me, but I was just so shaken by the entire experience that I just wanted to get out of there and die. I felt so dirty, ashamed, and alone. And it wasn't even my fault. I cry as I write this because all these years and all this therapy later and it still makes me feel as helpless as I felt that night.

By the way, did you know that rapists have parental rights by default? Yup. A woman doesn't have autonomy over her own body, but her violator does. The parents of the rapist can also petition to have access to the child, and the rapist doesn't have to pay child support. My mind is blown. To say that I am appalled is understatement. So a woman gets raped, she gets guilted and logistically coerced into keeping the child, and then the monster that did this to her is not being held financially responsible?! I'm sorry, but I did not sign up for that and I will not be complicit in it.

I've been called a murderer when telling this story before, because I took the morning after pill. Let me educate you on some basic sex ed. The sperm that was in my vaginal canal that night did not magically turn into a baby. I know science and magic can get confused by some, but stay with me. It can take up to 6 days for the sperm to reach the egg. For example, just because a spark plug makes some things light up on its own, unless it's in a car, we can't call it a car. The spark plug on it's own is not a car. This is an apt analogy. The Heartbeat Bill that makes people listen to the heartbeat of "the baby" are listening to a spark plug. What they're hearing are cells making electrical output in a rhythm. This is around week 6, but there is not an actual heart in there.

Let's just put it like this, unless you're in the medical field, please don't make laws about what you don't know in regards to health. Power to you though if you decide to inform yourself and take anatomy & physiology I and II, and several semesters of biology and chemistry to understand what's going on in a human body. The point is this; this law is an infringement on women's rights and is purposefully misleading people into thinking it's something sinister on the part of the woman, when in reality, it's something sinister from the males in power in this state.

I did not overcome poverty, hunger, racism, sexism, sexual assault, and a whole mess of other obstacles to only be living in this state of terror. I am an American. A Texan. This is supposed to be the land of the free and the home of the brave. Texans are known for their rebellious spirit and tough attitude. All that the world has been able to see are the misogynistic men displaying this message. Well I am here to show that Texas toughness comes from every arena. The Texas government just took a big bite of pissed off women and I'm not sure they're going to be able to handle it once we're all out in force. We as women have the strength of beasts when we choose to call upon it. Good luck Governor, you're gonna need it. The Texas Legislature just painted a big target on their backs and us women do not take kindly to being told what to do with our bodies. Y'all have pushed us too far and I feel sorry for all of you with what we will rain down upon you. I will not stand for this evil and I am not alone. So please, my fellow sisters, my sympathetic brothers, and all my lovely folk in between, if you want to overturn this abomination of a bill, join me in my fight. Mic drop.