Dozens of Miami activists lay on the floor in front of downtown Miami’s Freedom Tower, staging a die-in to protest further abortion restrictions being considered in the Florida legislative session.
The message: Banning abortion will lead to deaths.
On International Women’s Day and 24 hours following the filing of House Bill 7 and Senate Bill 300 — which call for a near total abortion ban — members of the group Bans Off Miami also held gravestones emblazoned with causes of maternal mortality, the rate of which is three times higher in states with abortion bans.
According to a study by the Gender Equity Policy Institute, birthing people in states that banned abortion were up to three times more likely to die during pregnancy, during childbirth, or soon after giving birth. Just as concerning: Babies born in banned states were 30% more likely to die in their first month of life.
Senate Bill 30, introduced by Sen. Erin Grall (R-Fort Pierce), would prohibit abortions after six weeks, but does provide or exceptions in the case of rape or incest. It also provides for abortions to only be performed by physicians House Bill 7, introduced by Jenna Persons-Mulicka (R-Fort Myers) prohibits the use of state funds to travel to states that allow abortion
Activists pointed out that Florida already restricts abortion to 15 weeks, a new change ushered in last year that has already caused heartache across the state. There was the case of Deborah Dorbert, a Lakeland woman whose doctors refused to sign off on an abortion, even though her fetus had a serious condition that prevented it from surviving outside the womb, as The Washington Post reported. There’s Anabely Lopes, whose unborn child had a fatal abnormality. Her doctors were afraid to write letters recommending she terminate her pregnancy, so she had to travel from South Florida to Washington.
In January, the Florida Supreme Court in January agreed to take up a constitutional challenge to the 15-week limit by seven abortion clinics and a doctor. The argument is that it violates. A key issue in that case is whether the limit violates a privacy clause in the Florida Constitution.
“Abortion bans are deadly,” said Bans Off Miami Founder Kat Duesterhaus. “I think supporters of HB7 and SB30 don’t realize the lives they will endanger with a near total ban. Most don’t even realize they’re pregnant until around six weeks.”
Bans Off Miami invites members of the public to get involved by going to bit.ly/heypassidomo and asking Senate President Kathleen Passidomo to stop the abortion ban.
Miami activists stage die-in to protest further restrictions on abortion rights added by Ladra on
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