In response to Oklahoma HB 1441, a bill that would unconstitutionally ban a woman from obtaining abortion care in Oklahoma unless the “father of the fetus” provides his “informed written consent,” Dr. Diane Horvath-Cosper, Physicians for Reproductive Health Advocacy Fellow, issued the following statement:
“Oklahoma HB 1441 is an outrageous bill meant to shame, burden, and degrade women seeking abortion care. This bill clearly violates a patient’s constitutional right to make a decision about her own health care by requiring the consent of her partner. Women in Oklahoma already face multiple restrictions when they are seeking abortion care, and such a blatant attempt to undermine a woman’s autonomy is unconscionable. The bill would also allow men to challenge paternity, which would subject women to costly tests that could delay care. In addition, women in abusive situations seeking abortion care would be put at even greater risk of harm from their partners.
The idea that a woman needs a man’s permission to make decisions about her own medical care or that women are demoted to “hosts” when they are pregnant is dangerous. No one should be empowered to interfere with the private decision to have an abortion. We implore the Oklahoma House of Representatives to vote no on this unconstitutional bill.”