Virginia's State-Sponsored Rape Law

I'd heard vague mention of Virginia's proposed "Want an abortion? Have an ultrasound" bill. I admit it didn't get far into my consciousness. I thought it was just another unreasonable impediment placed in the way of a woman wanting to do what she thinks is best for herself. It was obviously worse than a 24-hour waiting period or a forced reading of a fake side effect list, because it would cost money.

But I didn't realize how much worse it was.

Because if your pregnancy is at less than 12 weeks gestation -- as most terminated pregnancies are -- the ultrasound that's required isn't the familiar technique where a technician moves a sensor around on the woman's stomach. No. It's this:


The medical term is "transvaginal ultrasound,"and it is just what the picture shows.

Now, I'm a 50ish woman and I've had my share of pelvic exams. The speculum took a little getting used to at first, back when I was about 20. I've given birth, with all of the attending loss of body modesty that accompanies pushing out a 10-pound baby.

But having this type of ultrasound (which I had about a year ago) is the worst medical procedure I've had that I've been conscious for. Because of the shape of the "wand," as it's euphemistically called, the feeling that it's unwanted intercourse is pretty hard to avoid.

And I was voluntarily having the test, to find out something I needed to know. Hearing about the Virginia law, which is hard to call anything but state-imposed rape, literally makes my heart pound as adrenaline or stress hormones or something begin to spill into my system. My hands are shaking.

Virginia's legislature passed this law last Monday and the governor has spoken of it favorably.



Pictured above: The the only possible upside of this law. (Cartoon by Clay Bennett, Chattanooga Times Free Press.)