The new law came into effect on Wednesday, ending Florida's place as a hub for the procedure in the US south.

Florida’s six-week abortion ban has come into force, closing the door - for now - on the last abortion access point in the US South.

Anti-abortion campaigners have celebrated the new legislation - which replaces an existing 15-week law - as the gold standard of abortion policy and a major victory in the country’s battle over abortion access.

But pro-choice campaigners say the ban will push an overstretched system to the brink.

They worry the new law in Florida, which had been the last state in the region without a near-total ban, will effectively cut off abortion access for more than 21 million women of reproductive age across nearly a dozen states.

“This essentially creates an abortion desert in the south-east part of our country,” said Michelle Quesada, a spokeswoman for Planned Parenthood of South, East and North Florida. “This will be devastating.”

  • a lil bee 🐝@lemmy.world
    0·
    7 months ago

    It’s horrifying, but these are not dictatorships. DeSantis and his legislature were voted in by the people of Florida. DeSantis is not just stomping all over the opinions of Floridians, he represents those who showed up to vote. If we let only the cruel vote and choose our leaders, those leaders will be cruel.

    • Spot@startrek.websiteEnglish
      0·
      7 months ago

      https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/sep/07/states-felony-conviction-voting-rights

      Virginia, Tennessee, Iowa and Kentucky still have policies that result in at least some US citizens being effectively shut out of democracy for life. Several other states, including Florida, Alabama and Arizona, predicate voting on having enough money to pay off court fines and fees – another barrier that makes it nearly impossible for low-income Americans to regain the right to vote.

    • LifeInMultipleChoice@lemmy.world
      0·
      7 months ago

      They are voted in off lies and media spins. My mother is a stark supporter of Desantis and over and over again stated that abortion bans were just supposed to be up to the states and Florida wasn’t going to change theirs. That it is just liberal media making it up. There won’t be any wake up calls for them, they will be spun on the next bs that’s thrown up into their lap