Texas Legislature Displays Its Misogyny

The Republican-dominated and male-dominated Texas legislature still hasn't solved its deficit problem, but it has taken time out to display its misogyny. After all, they can't have Texas women thinking they actually have control over their own bodies. That might cause them to think they should be equal to men and not second-class citizens (and no self-respecting Republican politician could ever allow that).

Both the House and the Senate have passed the "Sonogram Bill" and it will now go to the governor (who has already indicated he will sign it). This bill would force a doctor to give a sonogram to any woman wanting to have an abortion. Although the woman can't be compelled to view the sonogram, she would be forced to listen to a description by the doctor of what the sonogram shows (or what the doctor says it shows).

Proponents of this terrible bill said they wanted to "make sure women understand what an abortion entails." That has to be one of the most misogynistic ideas I've ever heard. It infers that women are stupid creatures that have no idea of what is going on in their own bodies. Frankly, anyone who thinks a woman is not fully knowledgable and hasn't given serious thought to the choice she is making in asking for an abortion is a complete and blithering idiot.

But this is not really about educating women -- it is about punishing them for disagreeing with the social views of right-wing fundamentalists. As Rep. Wendy Davis (D-Fort Worth) said, "The purpose of this bill is to traumatize women who are seeking an abortion." No woman should be punished, humiliated or traumatized for exercising her constitutional right to control her own body.

The Republican legislators think they can shame women into having babies they may not be psychologically or financially prepared to have. And making matters even worse, these same legislators are currently in the process of cutting medical and social programs that would help a woman that chose to have a baby. While they are very interested in protecting a bit of protoplasm, they have absolutely no interest in helping real living women or children.

These legislators should be very ashamed of themselves. But that would mean they have a conscience and the capacity to feel shame -- neither of which seems to be true.