Ohio Rep Thinks Unwanted Pregnancies From Rape Are an ‘Opportunity’ for Women
SAY WHAT?!
During a legislative hearing about the state’s proposed abortion ban, Ohio state Republican lawmaker Jean Schmidt suggested that pregnancy could be an “opportunity” for women and girls who are raped. When Democratic Rep. Richard Brown pointed out that, under the proposed bill, a 13-year-old girl would have to give birth to her rapist’s baby, Schmidt said, “It is a shame that it happens,” with the “it” being rape. “But there’s an opportunity for that woman, no matter how young or old she is, to make a determination about what she’s going to do to help that life be a productive human being.” She then bizarrely suggested that the mom could easily choose to give the baby away, and the baby may go on to cure cancer. The bill, HB 598, would make abortions a felony unless the pregnancy poses a risk of injury or death to the mother. It makes no exemption for rape victims. Insider reports that HB 598 hasn’t passed either legislative chamber and would only go into effect if the Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade.