Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Abortion decision only deepens divisions in small-town America

Abortion decision only deepens divisions in small-town America

A week has passed since the decision which altered this country forever, and small-town America is organising.

In Owensboro, Kentucky, home to 60,000 people, a group of around 200 marched down the main street, past a donut shop and bourbon bar.

They were mostly women and they were furious about the constitutional right to choose abortion being stripped away.

Together they chanted in collective outrage, "keep your rosaries off my ovaries", and "my body, my choice", but among them were those who were motivated by intensely personal pain.

Hadley Duvall was 12 years old when she was impregnated by her abusive stepfather, who is now serving 20 years in prison.

"The abuse happened for a long time," she said.

"I'm lucky that it was only one pregnancy and I had the choice, and I feel like everybody in that situation needs to have the choice."

Hadley, now 20, said she was distressed when the Supreme Court overturned the landmark 1973 ruling, known as Roe v Wade which had given women nationwide the right to choose an abortion.

"I was sick," she said.

"My heart broke for the little girl that I used to be, and for the other little girls that are still out there, because it happens and it's not just a fantasy.

"It's not just something that only happens in the movies. It's real."

She said women should be given the right to choose what happens to their bodies in all circumstances, not just in especially traumatic situations.

"We might not make a change this year," she said, "but I know I'm never going to hold my tongue ever again, no matter what, even when there has been a change, I'm still going to speak up for people."

Hadley Duvall


In this vast country, a legal patchwork of abortion haves and have nots is taking shape.

In Kentucky, the right to choose was stripped away last Friday and has now been temporarily restored after a judge issued a legal restraining order.

But, in a state where the majority of adults believe abortion should be illegal in all or most cases, it's unlikely to last long.

Marjorie FitzGerald, who has worked at EMW - one of two abortion clinics in Louisville - for six years, said the changes were especially tragic for poor women who cannot travel to other states where an abortion is an option.

"The closest state for our patients would be Illinois and for many of these patients, they can't take time off from work, they have childcare and transportation expenses and a waiting period sometimes.

"It means a lack of a procedure or sometimes an attempt to take matters into their own hands."

But for some, the reversal of Roe has given rise to opportunity.

On the same stretch of pavement just by the EMW clinic is a similar-looking building called BSideU.

But this is not an abortion clinic, it is a so-called pregnancy resource centre, one of 2,500 such facilities across America.

Many of them provide free ultrasounds and claim to offer information on alternatives to abortion. But experts accuse them of giving false or misleading information to coerce women into continuing their pregnancies.

Some of the women who are treated at BSideU are referred to a white clapboard house on the outskirts of Louisville, occupied by Lifehouse Maternity Home.

There are rocking chairs on the porch and a children's playground to the rear and they have had a 50% uptick in enquiries in the past week.

It is run by evangelical Christians and funded by donations from churches and individuals.

Dolli Neikerk


Its executive director Dolli Neikerk gives a tour of the inside, including a Bible study room and a vast wardrobe of baby clothes. Dolli celebrated when she heard the news that Roe v Wade had been overturned.

"We're not throwing clump of cells showers, we're throwing baby showers," she said.

"I think deep down inside every woman knows that when she's pregnant, she's pregnant with a baby.

"We need to support her and help her navigate becoming a parent or making a decision for adoption."

Dolli said Lifehouse Maternity Home has housed pregnant girls and women aged from 13 to 38.

I asked if she is concerned that encouraging a 13-year-old to continue with a pregnancy after rape will compound the trauma.

"I can tell you from the experiences that we've had here, in both situations those babies were placed for adoption (with) loving families," she said.

"And so I think that gives that young mom an opportunity to make a decision that is her best and she has already been traumatised. So we shouldn't add to that trauma."

Lifehouse Maternity Home in Kentucky


For Dolli and the women at the march In Owensboro, there is unlikely to be any great coming together on an issue which provokes such strength of feeling on both sides.

Abortion in America is completely polarising and as such there will be no equilibrium here, only ugly and deepening division.

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
U.S. and Hungarian Officials Talk About Economic Collaboration and Sanctions Strategy
Technology Giants Activate Lobbying Campaigns Against Strict EU Regulations
Pope Francis Admitted to Hospital in Rome Amid Increasing Speculation on Succession
Zelensky Calls on World Leaders to Back Peace as Tensions Rise with Trump
UK Leader Keir Starmer Calls for US Security Guarantee in Ukraine Peace Deal
NATO Chief Urges Higher Defense Expenditure in Europe
The negotiation teams of Trump and Putin meet directly, establishing the groundwork for a significant advancement.
Rubio Touches Down in Riyadh Before Key U.S.-Russia Discussions
Students in Serbian universities Unite to Hold Coordinated Protests for Accountability.
US State Department Removes Taiwan Independence Statement from Website
Abolishing opposition won't protect Germany from Nazism—this is precisely what led Germany to become Nazi!
Transatlantic Gold Rush: Traders Shift Bullion in Response to Tariff Anxieties and Market Instability
Bill Ackman Backs Uber as the Company Shifts Towards Profitability
AI Titans Challenge Nvidia's Supremacy in Light of New Chip Innovations
US and Russian Officials to Meet in Saudi Arabia Over Ending Ukraine Conflict. Ukraine and European leaders – who profit from this war – excluded from the negotiations.
Macron Calls for Urgent Summit as Ukraine Conflict Business Model is Threatened
Trump’s Defense Secretary: Ukraine Won’t Join NATO or Regain Lost Territories
Zelensky Urges Europe to Bolster Its Military in Light of Uncertain US Backing
Chinese Zoo Confesses to Dyeing Donkeys to Look Like Zebras
Elon Musk is Sherlock Holmes - Movie Trailer Parody featuring Donald Trump's Detective
Trump's Greenland Suggestion Sparks Sovereignty Discussions Amid Historical Grievances
OpenAI Board Dismisses Elon Musk's Offer to Acquire the Company.
USAID Uncovered: American Taxpayer Funds Leveraged to Erode Democracy in Europe Until Trump Put a Stop to It.
JD Vance and Scholz Did Not Come Together at the Munich Security Conference.
EU Official Participates in Discussions in Washington Amid Trade Strains
Qatar Contemplates Reducing French Investments Due to PSG Chief Investigation
Germany's Green Agenda Encounters Ambiguity Before Elections
Trump Did Not Notify Germany's Scholz About His Ukraine Peace Proposal.
Munich Car Attack Escalates Migration Discourse Before German Elections
NATO Allies Split on Trump's Proposal for 5% Defense Spending Increase
European Parliament Advocates for Encrypted Messaging to Ensure Secure Communications
Trump's Defense Spending Goal Creates Division Among NATO Partners
French Prime Minister Bayrou Navigates a Challenging Path Amid Budget Preservation and Immigration Discourse
Steering Through the Updated Hierarchy at the European Commission
Parliamentarian Calls for Preservation of AI Liability Directive
Mark Rutte Calls on NATO Allies to Increase Defence Expenditures
Dresden Marks the 80th Anniversary of the World War II Bombing.
Global Community Pledges to Aid Syria's Political Transition
EU Allocates €200 Billion for AI Investments, Introduces €20 Billion Fund for Gigafactories
EU Recognizes Its Inability to Close the USAID Funding Shortfall Due to Stalled US Aid
Commission President von der Leyen Missing from Notre Dame Reopening Due to Last-Minute Cancellation
EU Officializes Disinformation Code for Online Platforms, Omitting X
EU Fails to Fully Implement Key Cybersecurity Directives
EU Under Fire for Simplification Discussions Regarding Corporate Sustainability Reporting
Shein Encountering Further Information Request from the EU During Ongoing Investigation
European Commission Initiates Investigation into Shein as It Aims at Chinese E-Commerce Regulations
German Officials Respond to U.S. Proposal for Peace Talks with Russia
Senate Approves Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as Secretary of Health and Human Services.
Trump and Putin Engage in Discussions on Ukraine Peace Negotiations Amid Worldwide Responses
Honda and Nissan End Merger Talks
×