In a recent interview with Al-Jazeera, Ohio Representative Mark Thorne, a staunch opponent of abortion and a co-sponsor of the state’s controversial “heartbeat bill,” was asked about the reasons women might seek abortions. His response was startling: “Well, there’s probably a lot of re — I d- I d- I’m not a woman. [Laughs] So I’m thinking now if I’m a woman why would I want to get…some of it has to do with economics. A lot of it has to do with economics. I don’t know — I’ve never — it’s it’s a question I’ve never even thought about.”
This raises an eyebrow, doesn’t it? Thorne has been fighting against abortion for a significant portion of his career and is backing legislation that would prohibit abortions once a fetal heartbeat is detected—typically around six weeks, often before many women even realize they’re pregnant. To top it off, this bill notably lacks exceptions for cases of rape or incest. Yet, he claims to have never considered why a woman might choose to terminate a pregnancy. What’s more disheartening? The fact that he’s trying to impose laws that limit a woman’s autonomy without fully understanding the implications, or the sheer disregard he shows for women’s experiences and opinions? It’s hard to choose.
If you observe the video, his tone suggests that even contemplating a woman’s perspective is an absurdity—almost as if he’s been asked to consider the preferences of a tool before using it.
You might think that individuals advocating for such extreme measures would possess a well-rounded understanding of the topic at hand. Unfortunately, that assumption often proves incorrect. The reality is, many men attempting to dictate women’s reproductive rights display a staggering ignorance about the very bodies they seek to control.
Remember last year when a politician from Idaho questioned if doctors could examine a woman’s uterus by having her swallow a camera? Yes, that’s the caliber of expertise we’re dealing with here. These individuals, who are seemingly unaware of basic biological facts, are the same ones looking to dictate our medical choices.
Thorne’s comments exemplify a troubling trend: a lack of knowledge paired with a profound lack of empathy. When you fail to consider how a decision impacts someone else, it often stems from the belief that their opinion doesn’t matter. During the debate surrounding the bill, Thorne further demonstrated his insensitivity by claiming, “What we have here is really the need to give people the incentive to be more responsible so we reduce unwanted pregnancies and by the way, the vast majority of abortions are performed on women who were not raped.” Does he genuinely believe that most abortions result from carelessness? Are there women out there scheduling abortions like appointments for car maintenance?
This notion is a complete myth. Women don’t treat abortions as a form of birth control. By attempting to “encourage responsibility,” Thorne is effectively punishing women, undermining their ability to make decisions about their own bodies. The very fact that he hasn’t even bothered to inquire about the reasons women seek abortions speaks volumes about his ignorance.
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In summary, Thorne’s comments reveal a significant disconnect between lawmakers and the realities women face regarding reproductive health. Until politicians begin to genuinely consider the perspectives of women, their legislative efforts will continue to miss the mark.