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Fed up women of America speak out as Alabama looks to criminalize abortion

Hillary Clinton, AOC, and more are publicly condemning the proposed law.

Nicole Gallucci

on May 15, 2019

Fed up women of America speak out as Alabama looks to criminalize abortion

A pro-choice rally in front of the White House. Credit: Astrid Riecken/Getty Images

It's 2019, and rather than making every effort to fight for the equality, freedom, and basic human rights of Americans, several states are currently attempting to criminalize abortion.

Though anti-abortion bills have been introduced throughout the country for years, in states like Arkansas, Kentucky, Georgia, Mississippi, North Dakota, Ohio, and more, on Tuesday night Alabama lawmakers voted in favor of the nation's most restrictive abortion ban, one that would essentially prohibit all abortion procedures, only making an exception if a mother's life is in danger or if the "unborn child has a lethal anomaly."

If the bill is signed and passed by Republican governor Kay Ivey, it will mean that any doctor who performs an abortion in-state can be sentenced to up to 99 years in prison.

The outrageous bill comes a month after Ohio Governor Mike DeWine signed a "fetal heartbeat" law, which bans abortions after a fetal heartbeat is detected. However, a heartbeat can be heard in the womb as early as six weeks into a pregnancy, before many women even realize they're pregnant. Earlier this month, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp also signed a similarly infuriating heartbeat bill to restrict abortion.

As stricter abortion laws are being enforced across the country, and news of Alabama's possible law continues to spread, women are passionately speaking out against it online. Some are calling out the fact that bills like this could lead to the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade, the historic ruling that assured all women access to safe, legal abortions. Others have brought up the fact that Alabama's bill does not make an exception for pregnancies by rape or incest, which means that a woman raped at any age, even a 12-year-old girl, would be forced to carry to term regardless of the circumstances. And some are arguing that the Alabama law is a direct attack on "poor and marginalized women."

Among the many women both disgusted by the strict anti-abortion efforts and tired of having their bodies policed by men are politicians and activists like Elizabeth Warren, Hillary Clinton, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Jameela Jamil, Busy Phillips, and more.

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Jamil, who called Georgia's recent abortion law "so upsetting, inhumane, and blatantly demonstrative of a hatred of women, a disregard for our rights, bodies, and mental health," also shared her own personal abortion experience.

"I had an abortion when I was young, and it was the best decision I have ever made," she explained. "Both for me, and for the baby I didn’t want, and wasn’t ready for, emotionally, psychologically and financially..."

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Busy Phillips, who recently opened up about having an abortion when she was 15 years old, weighed in on Alabama's bill, encouraging women to share their stories with the hashtag #youknowme.

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Hillary Clinton also condemned the bills and urged people to fight back against anti-abortion policies like it by supporting The National Network of Abortion Funds, and organizations that are working to elect more pro-choice candidates to office, such as Emerge America, Emily's List, Run For Something, and Supermajority. Many also suggested donating to The Yellowhammer Fund, which helps women seeking care at one of Alabama's three abortion clinics with funding, travel arrangements, lodging, and more.

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As women struggle to grapple with the idea of taking a monumental step backwards in history, men are speaking up in solidarity as well. Male politicians, actors, and activists are raising their voices and standing by women's right to choose what's right for themselves and their own bodies.

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On Wednesday, Republican Gov. Kay Ivey signed the bill into legislation, and the restriction are set to go into effect in six months.

UPDATE: May 16, 2019, 10:10 a.m. EDT Updated to note that Republican Gov. Kay Ivey signed the bill into legislation.

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Nicole Gallucci

Nicole is a Senior Editor at Mashable. She primarily covers entertainment and digital culture trends, and in her free time she can be found watching TV, sending voice notes, or going viral on Twitter for admiring knitwear. You can follow her on Twitter @nicolemichele5.