France To Abort Everyone For Free Now, Pretty Much

France is enacting a new abortion law that seems aimed at reinforcing every possible rightwing American stereotype of that country, except perhaps for surrendering in a war:

It amends the country's current law, which allows abortion only if a pregnant women can prove "distress." The new law also bans any attempt to restrict women from getting information about abortion services. 

The National Assembly voted in January to change the law, despite the country's Roman Catholic majority. The Minister for Women's Rights, Najat Vallaud-Belkacem, said during debate that "abortion is a right in itself and not something that is allowed subject to conditions."

Also, under a 2012 law, the French national health system pays for 100% of the cost of abortion services, and also pays for free contraceptives for adolescents aged 15 to 18. For reasons not readily apparent, the United States of America has not yet recalled its ambassador to the World's Focus of Sin. Just to scare American conservatives a bit further, the abortion reforms are part of a larger package of gender-equality measures, which include proposals to

extend paternity leave, promote sex equality at work, decrease sex stereotyping in media, and provide increased support to low-income women and survivors of domestic abuse.

Needless to say, you can pretty much bet that we'll soon be hearing from American congresscritters that equal pay proposals will inevitably kill little babies, just like in France.

 Ms. Magazine notes that while abortion remains a "constitutional right" in the United States, France actually acts like it's something that women should actually be allowed to do without a lot of ridiculous restrictions. As of yet, there have been no proposals from blue states to secede from the United States and seek French protection.

[ Ms ]