The Bush Administration’s new reproductive health proposal is out and it’s getting some serious heat. In the proposal, recipients of federal aid for health programs (i.e. hospitals, health clinics, and phamacies) must “certify that they will not refuse to hire nurses and other providers who object to abortion and even certain types of birth control.” In other words, a women’s clinic cannot refuse to hire a nurse on the basis that she won’t perform abortions or dispense birth control or Plan B. Additionally, the proposal also classifies abortion as “any of the various procedures — including the prescription, dispensing and administration of any drug or the performance of any procedure or any other action — that results in the termination of the life of a human being in utero between conception and natural birth, whether before or after implantation.” Made my head hurt too, but the last part is important — some people argue that the birth control pill and emergency contraception can prevent the implantation of a fertilized egg, therefore those forms of birth control and Plan B would be considered abortion under the proposal. So what do you think about this? Are you worried that the language in this proposal is a step in the direction of reversing Roe V. Wade or do you agree that abortion has been defined properly? Weigh in! [Salon: Broadsheet]
