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By reducing a vagina to a hole you are also downgrading not only a fundamental part of the sex based discrimination we face but also erasing the meaning of sex.

Jessica Valenti at Abortion, Every Day:

Okay, I promised I wouldn’t work on my vacation, but this news was too good not to share: Massachusetts just legalized abortion throughout pregnancy, becoming the 10th state to allow abortion after 24 weeks.1 At a bill signing ceremony today, Gov. Maura Healey said, “We believe that health care decisions should be made between women and families and their doctors, not politicians.” Until now, abortion later in pregnancy was only permitted to protect the patient’s life or health, or because of a grave fetal diagnosis. The Prioritizing Patient Access to Care Act changes Massachusetts law to allow abortion after 24 weeks “when based upon the professional judgement of the physician.”

“It comes down to a simple, but powerful conviction,” bill sponsor Rep. Christine Barber said. “Decisions about abortion care must remain between a patient and their provider. No one else.” Barber said she was inspired to introduce the legislation after hearing from patients who were forced to leave the state for abortion care. Kate Dineen, for example, had to travel to Maryland after learning her son suffered a massive stroke in utero. As devastating as her diagnosis was, it didn’t fit the narrow legal requirements for abortion in Massachusetts. “I am profoundly grateful that our state leaders are righting this wrong once and for all,” Dineen said today. I wish women didn’t have to relive their most traumatic moments to create legislative change, but I’m so awed by those willing to do so—all in the hope it might save another woman from similar suffering. Something that’s not getting nearly enough attention: the legislation also clears the way for clinic-based care after 24 weeks—it struck down Massachusetts’ requirement that abortions later in pregnancy be performed in hospitals. That’s a big deal!

Massachusetts just became the 10th state to legalize post-fetal viability abortions, permitting abortions after 24 weeks “when based upon the professional judgement of the physician.”

Right-wing and anti-abortion media are running with the inflammatory framing that the commonwealth legalized “abortion up until birth.”

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