Calling Oklahoma Feminists!

I know you're out there, OK! I myself hail from the great Sooner State, and though I now am based out on the east coast with FMF, I still organize in Oklahoma, have family in Oklahoma, and for better or worse, have a soft spot for Oklahoma.

Now, I know I'm not the only Oklahoman feminist. I know you're alive and kicking - and I want to hear from you! Why?

Because there is plenty of feminist work to be done in Oklahoma. Just yesterday I found out that House Bill 1595 passed the state house, which would require doctors performing abortions to submit a questionnaire giving the reason for the abortion and how it was being paid for. The questionnaires would then be held in a database maintained by the Department of Health.

At first glance, this seemed to me to be a waste of time, certainly, and another piece of red tape for women. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that it's not only a waste of time - it's a superfluous waste of state resources. The Tulsa World quotes Rep. Ryan Kiesel (D-Seminole) saying, "We're going to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars, most of it for data. Have any of you looked at the form doctors already fill out? I have. There is already a questionnaire."

The bill is en route to the Senate now, which is exactly why I want my fellow Oklahoma feminists to take action. Call your senators, talk with your family, and get in touch with me - vvilott [at] feminist [dot] org - and let's strengthen the pro-choice movement in our state!