Actress, Minka Kelly Reacts To The Fetal Heartbeat Bill: ‘Women do not get pregnant alone’
More and more states are lining up to rip away women’s reproductive rights. A few days ago, members of Missouri’s Senate passed a bill prohibiting women from having abortions at eight weeks of pregnancy or later, making them the third state in a month to pass some of the most restrictive abortion laws in the country.
The bill declares that any abortions performed would be considered a felony and that “any person who knowingly performs or induces an abortion of an unborn child in violation of this subsection shall be guilty of a class B felony, as well as subject to suspension or revocation of his or her professional license.”
In better news, women on the receiving end of those abortions will not be prosecuted. So at least there is that. The law also clearly states that there are no exceptions to the abortion ban, even in cases of rape, incest or a diagnosis of Down syndrome, which is pretty disturbing.
This latest blow to anyone with a vagina (and humanity in general) comes less than 24 hours after Governor Kay Ivey — a republican woman — signed off on Alabama’s abortion ban, which was passed by 25 lawmakers sans uterus.
The Alabama law makes it illegal for anyone to get an abortion post-heartbeat, which basically means it makes abortion illegal period, as it’s not so easy to detect a pregnancy prior to a heartbeat.
Since Georgia , Alabama and Missouri lawmakers passed the controversial law, women of all ages and backgrounds have been speaking out about why they had the medical procedure in an effort to destigmatize abortion.
Among the brave voices sharing their abortion stories for the first time is Minka Kelly. The 38-year-old actress from TV’s Friday Night Lights and Charlie’s Angels penned a powerful post on Instagram explaining exactly why these laws are so damaging for women and families.
She also shared her own experience with abortion and why she doesn’t regret her decision one bit. Kelly took to her Instagram to post a picture of the 25 male Alabama senators who voted to advance the most restrictive abortion law in the country.
The actress began her post by explaining that she made the decision to get an abortion when she was younger. She wrote:
“It was the smartest decision I could’ve made, not only for myself & my boyfriend at the time, but also for this unborn fetus. For a baby to’ve been born to two people — too young and completely ill equipped — with no means or help from family, would have resulted in a child born into an unnecessary world of struggle.”
If she had gone through with the pregnancy, Kelly noted, the child would have been raised in the same “cycle of poverty, chaos and dysfunction” she was born into.
She also pointed out the hypocrisy that many of these anti-abortion politicians fight for fetuses to be born BUT have no interest in helping them after they’re actually in the world. She added:
“What do you think happens to these kids who end up bouncing around in foster care, live on government assistance because the mother has no help, can’t afford childcare while she works a minimum wage job, and is trapped in a cycle of trying to survive on the meager government assistance so many of you same pro-lifers are determined to also take away.”
And WHY, she asked, do these very same people not want to discuss supporting women’s health in other ways, like maternal mortality rate, free daycare, and paid maternity leave? The only times they seem concerned about women and children is when it involves a pregnancy. Forget about everything else after that.
Kelly also made the very important point that men would be handling this situation so, so differently if they were the ones in the woman’s situation. She stated:
“By looking at the photo of all the men who are making this mess, I find it hard to believe that if it were the autonomy of a man’s body, health and life in question, I cant help but be certain we wouldn’t be having this conversation in the first place.”
READ ALSO: OUTRAGE In Georgia As The Most Extreme Abortion Bill Is Signed Into Law
Kelly is one of the many women who are opening up about their abortions in light of these awful laws. Busy Philipps kicked off the open, honest discussion when she appeared on her talk show and spoke candidly about her own experience.
“The statistic is one in four women will have an abortion before age 45,” she said. “That statistic sometimes surprises people, and maybe you’re sitting there thinking, ‘I don’t know a woman who would have an abortion.’ Well, you know me.”
Below is Kelly’s full post…
”When I was younger I had an abortion. It was the smartest decision I could’ve made, not only for myself & my boyfriend at the time, but also for this unborn fetus.
For a baby to’ve been born to two people — too young and completely ill equipped — with no means or help from family, would have resulted in a child born into an unnecessary world of struggle.
Having a baby at that time would have only perpetuated the cycle of poverty, chaos and dysfunction I was born into.Forcing a child to be born to a mother who isn’t ready, isn’t financially stable, was raped, a victim of incest (!!), isn’t doing that theoretical child any favors.
For those of you insisting abortion is murder, and to Rep. Terri Collins who said “an unborn baby is a person who deserves love and attention” — forget bringing up the mother might be in need of some “love and attention.”
What do you think happens to these kids who end up bouncing around in foster care, live on government assistance because the mother has no help, can’t afford childcare while she works a minimum wage job, and is trapped in a cycle of trying to survive on the meager government assistance so many of you same pro-lifers are determined to also take away.
If you insist on forcing women to carry to term, why do you refuse to talk about comprehensive sex-ed, the maternal mortality rate, free daycare, paid maternity leave?
Our lives, traumas & family planning is for no one to decide but us. Certainly not a group of old white men.Speaking of men… With all this punishment for women I wonder where all the punishment is for the men in this scenario. By looking at the photo of all the men who are making this mess, I find it hard to believe that if it were the autonomy of a man’s body, health and life in question, I cant help but be certain we wouldn’t be having this conversation in the first place.
I appreciate seeing men speak up on this issue – women do not get pregnant alone.
Lest we forget, outlawing abortion has never stopped women from attempting it.
@abortionfunds @yellowfund &
@EmergeAmerica @emilys_list@runforsomethingnow who work 2 elect pro-choice candidates.
#YouKnowMe.”
