Dallas Abortion Activists Give 'A Handmaid's Tale' A Texas Twist

Dallas TX

02 September, 2021

7:15 PM

Description

DALLAS, TX —It was impossible to miss the point when protesters outfitted as the concubines of "A Handmaid's Tale" showed up at Dallas City Hall Wednesday to protest new abortion restrictions that are now the law in the Lone Star State. Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed SB 8, also known as "the Heartbeat Bill," into law last May, and it went into effect yesterday, as the Supreme Court of the United States refused to intervene.Paramount among the objections of protesters is that the law prohibits abortion as early as six weeks into a fetus' gestation —a period when many couples and single women may be unaware they're pregnant. Want to be the first to know about Patch membership when it launches? Click here to find out how you can support Patch and local journalism. Even the nickname for the law is misleading, say the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, because humans have not yet formed hearts six weeks into pregnancy.Under provisions of the new law, a private citizen can now also sue a physician for providing an abortion — or indeed, anyone who assists a woman in ending her pregnancy — right down to the person who drives an expectant mother to the clinic where her procedure was carried out.Even President Biden found the Texas law — and the SCOTUS' response — worthy of his wrath. He believes "this extreme Texas law blatantly violates the constitutional right established under Roe v. Wade."Protesters at the "Bans Off Our Bodies" demonstration included supporters of Planned Parenthood and the ACLU of Texas. Looking for more Dallas news? Subscribe.