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01/05/2006
Yes, Virginia, there is a Satan clause
Remember almost exactly a year ago, when a bill was introduced in Virginia that would have required women to report miscarriages to their local law enforcement agency within twelve hours of their loss?
Yeah, thought you might.
Thanks to the efforts of thousands of people around the Internet, notably Maura of Democracy for Virginia, the bill was withdrawn from consideration after its sponsor complained that its language was "just too confusing," and accusing opponents of "engaging in an active campaign of misinformation" to defeat it.
If you're infertile and live in Virginia, it's time to limber up your typing fingers again, especially the ones that you use when TYPING IN ALL CAPS to express your ire, because this one's a doozy.
State legislator Robert G. Marshall — or Delegate Bob, if you're feelin' folksy — has introduced a bill preventing doctors from providing unmarried women with any infertility treatment that "completely or partially replaces sexual intercourse as the means of conception."
Considering Marshall's record, this is nothing extraordinary. A quick spin around Delegate Bob's site reveals that he also authored a law that nullifies any same-sex partnerships entered into in other states. He sponsored a bill — "almost passed" — prohibiting college health care services from providing the morning after pill to students. He was also responsible for a law against something called partial birth infanticide, which is, in the law's text, carefully distinguished from late-term abortion — a law that seems reasonable enough, even obvious, until you consider that "infanticide" is very much a right-wing buzzword used to oppose any late-term abortion, and until you ponder how removed the careful language of the law might be from its underlying intent.
But Delegate Bob can't be all bad, right? I mean, he did sponsor a law authorizing members of a Jimmy Buffet fan club to be issued special license plates. I'm glad his busy schedule of oppressing women allows ample time for him to kick back and enjoy a cheeseburger in paradise.
I'm no Maura, and I'm no getupgrrl. I don't even live in Virginia. But if you do, will you please consider finding and contacting your delegate to discuss your opinion of the proposed legislation?
And while you're at it, what the hell — ask them about issuing a special license plate for cranky infertile bloggers who can't believe our elected representatives keep trying to pull this shit.
Many thanks to the good women of IVF Connections, where I initially read about the proposed legislation.
Posted by Julie at 11:07 AM in I've learned a lot...but I'm not sure it's worth it. | Permalink
Comments (57)
Thanks for the heads up, Julie, you have to carry the torch since grrl retired.
Posted by: Spit at Jan 5, 2006 11:12:26 AM
Virginia is a strange state. This coming from someone who lives in Texas, which has it's own set of issues.
I clicked into your site from typepads updated blogs list. It looks interesting, I'll be back.
Posted by: Quel at Jan 5, 2006 11:26:04 AM
This bastard is probably the same one who sponsored the bill (now law) that makes surrogacy for a same-sex couple illegal in Virginia. Amazing that now he would prefer that single women who want children have one-nights stands instead of IUIs! ^!%#^@!&@$% Off to email my representative....
Posted by: JennyK at Jan 5, 2006 11:32:53 AM
What a fing sick turd!! I do not live in Virginia, but my cousin, sister-in-law and all her family do. I will be putting in some calls tonight!
Posted by: Katie at Jan 5, 2006 11:37:36 AM
These effing senators are really starting to effing piss me off. For eff's sake.
God, I just can't stand it. I need to go swear at someone.
Posted by: Erin at Jan 5, 2006 11:54:34 AM
Fortunately, it looks like alot of Del. Bob's women's-health-related bills have perished in committee -- at least, if that's what a unanimous "tabling" of a bill means. (See, e.g., http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?051+sum+HB1841 .) Hopefully this means that so far, the other delegates see him for the crackpot he is??
& my other question: why are these such big issues for him? Don't his constituents have more pressing matters for him to be dealing with??
Posted by: Anne G. at Jan 5, 2006 12:01:56 PM
(Of course, by the above comment, I don't mean that women's health issues are unimportant! Just seems that your average constituent would rather see Ol' Bob trying to fix the local roads than inventing new & exciting ways to make women's lives harder.)
Posted by: Anne G. at Jan 5, 2006 12:04:03 PM
OMG! What the hell is going on in VA?! Who is electing Delegate Do Harm to Women Bob anyway? Need to get that fucko out of office.
Posted by: Katherine at Jan 5, 2006 12:25:38 PM
Jeezus H. Christ, that sounds just like the bill what's-her-face (I don't give her the dignity of learning her name) tried to introduce here in Indiana during the last legislative session - namely, that no unmarried women or gay couples could get reproductive assistance, and you have to go through the same procedures as adoptive parents if you're married.
Jerks. I wish they'd mind their own damn business and work on the schools around here. That's the kind of thing that would really contribute to "family values."
Posted by: Mazarin at Jan 5, 2006 12:29:00 PM
Thanks for the alert, Julie.
Virginia readers should take note that the list of legislators you linked to is two years out of date. Here is the URL for the 2006 session:
http://leg1.state.va.us/061/mbr/MBR.HTM
I know that there are websites where you can enter a zip code and find out who represents you, in case you don't know, but I don't have a URL offhand. Anyone?
Sigh. I'm in Virginia for grad school, and in many respects it's a nice place to live, but things like this get me really cheesed off.
Posted by: Anonymous mostly-lurker at Jan 5, 2006 12:33:12 PM
One week from today my family and I are moving from Virginia. I, for one, am not sorry to see the back of the state (ahem, "Commonwealth") or my nearly-three years spent here. It's going to be seven long days. Like my son, I might have to remind myself daily of "how many sleeps" until moving day, or maybe even make a paper chain for the countdown.
Then again, we *are* moving to Rick Santorum Land so maybe the celebrations are premature, so to speak.
Posted by: Marsha at Jan 5, 2006 12:38:49 PM
Thanks, anonymous-mostly-lurker I've updated the link to point to the correct list of legislators, and included a link to a representative finder.
Posted by: Julie at Jan 5, 2006 12:42:43 PM
I don't understand why the quest for family values seems to lead to reproductive healthcare. There are so many other, and more effective, ways to instill these values into our community... like more community activities and programs for mentoring young people (i.e. Big Brothers/ Big Sisters, etc).
I am pro-choice but I believe that abortion is a sin if used as a form of birth control... Notice I said "I believe", and not "it is"... what is right for me may not be right for someone else... It is not my place (nor the place of our legislators) to tell anyone else what they should or shouldn't do with regards to their uterus...
I hope your readers in VA take the time to write their representatives...
Posted by: Karen at Jan 5, 2006 12:53:20 PM
What a sick bastard. I just e-mailed my wonderful, open-minded, newly elected delegate, David Bulova. During the campaign, I cornered him at a house party and told him about my infertility, IVF treatments, miscarriages, and my dislike for those ultra-kooky delegates who introduce seriously misguided bills. I asked him to stand up against them. I just reminded him of that request, and I hope this bill gets killed quickly.
God, it makes me so angry. And very ashamed to call myself a Virginian (tho I still think of myself as a New Yorker anyway).
Posted by: Erica at Jan 5, 2006 3:43:54 PM
Just sent my email to him. As a Virginian, I'm not surprised by anything anymore. There are so many more important issues!!! *sigh*
Posted by: Jesse at Jan 5, 2006 3:47:09 PM
Well, I'm with Marsha on this one. When the wheels pulled up on that aircraft out of Dulles I had no regrets except that my cats were still there (and the "fantastic" service we were referred to managed to screw up their move).
I am sure this ridiculous bill will be withdrawn or defeated, but let me say this: This type of political maneuvering has to be the primary reason why I've come to the conclusion that socialized medicine will never work in this country.
I find the dichotomy between sponsoring this and sponsoring the "no morning after pill" legislation quite interesting.
Posted by: Melissa at Jan 5, 2006 4:01:47 PM
Julie, Thanks for posting this.
I really really need to know what happened to your IVF quilt. I found your blog a long time ago because I did a search on IVF and quilt.
I loved your hand dyed fabric, the embryo square, and the vials square.
Posted by: QuiltingChaos at Jan 5, 2006 4:46:14 PM
Has anyone notified our super-action hero, Getupgrrl? Maybe she will make a comeback for this.
Posted by: Erin at Jan 5, 2006 5:05:16 PM
Arg. When we did IVF #1 that crazy wench in Indiana introduced like legislation, which I remind you was promptly pulled.
Now we embark on cycle #2, and this fucker does this.
What's the big hullaboo? The fact that I love another woman does not mean that I will be a bad parent. In fact, not wanting to toot my own horn (but toot freaking toot) I'm pretty damn sure that my partner and I will be great parents.
I think I'm sorry for my profanity in this comment, but I am spitting mad at this. It's either that or cry my eyes out, and I refuse to expend that type of energy on this.
I'd get married to have a kid, but unfortunately that door has been slammed shut for us too.
So many purposely and hatefully closed doors. What's the point? It's certainly not kindness or love or anything like that.
I heart every Virginian who acts on this. Wait-- revised statement-- I heart every person everywhere who responds to such small-minded legislation.
Posted by: Katie/WannaBeMom at Jan 5, 2006 6:26:33 PM
Katie, one of the women on IVF Connections pointed out that apparently the state of Virginia has no problem with single women becoming foster parents. So they can be trusted with children who were born, in many cases, to other single women...
...They just can't necessarily be trusted with the decision to bear their own.
Posted by: Julie at Jan 5, 2006 6:36:26 PM
Brilliant legislators up in Virginia. I went to college there and loved it, but it was a private school and I never really got involved with anything political. I would like to go back someday but things like that make me question my thought process. But then again, I live in Georgia, and we have our own issues here.
I have several friends/relatives who live there, so I will be e-mailing them this link so that they can write some letters about it for the cause, since I can't.
Posted by: Erin at Jan 5, 2006 8:46:22 PM
I've emailed my delegates and all my friends and family asking them to do the same.
Posted by: Tessy at Jan 5, 2006 9:28:45 PM
As a Single Mother by Choice to a 10-month-old daughter who was created by infertility treatment that completely replaced sexual intercourse as the means of conception, I'd have to hate the guy. But, geez, I'm a Parrothead too, and those license plates *are* pretty cool.
Posted by: KathyH at Jan 5, 2006 9:33:45 PM
Historically speaking, Charlie has always been a very advanced baby when it comes to evacution. Could that be his next superhero costume? The Evacuator! (Said in a booming echoy voice, of course.)
Posted by: Sarah at Jan 5, 2006 10:04:04 PM
O.K., I haven't read the bill in question but I wonder what Delegate Bob would say to a woman who wants to use IVF using the previously frozen sperm of her husband who was subsequently killed fighting "for our liberty" in Iraq. She's single, right? No sexual intercourse to be had, right?
I know I'm being ridiculous, but the whole thing is ridiculous.
Posted by: Marsha at Jan 5, 2006 10:39:05 PM
I've heard of several horrible proposals like this one. It seems that legislation so often aimed at hurting me and my family (as a lesbian couple who will be ttc through donor sperm) winds up also hurting single women and unmarried heterosexual couples (who the legislator usually doesn't mind hurting) and married heterosexual couples experiencing infertility (who the lesgislator is apparently so blissfully unaware of until his proposal backfires on him). It really sucks for me because of the constant attacks on our civil rights as a family, and I'm really sorry that you get caught in the crossfire. I lived in VA for a year, but not anymore, so thanks for writing letters and making phone calls and generally being the fly in this quack's irrational ointment.
Posted by: Kate at Jan 5, 2006 11:05:26 PM
For the first time in my life I wished I lived in Virginia, just so I could rip this guy a new one.
Heck, I might just do it anyway.
Do you ever find yourself waiting for all the baby boomers to die off, just so our generation will get in charge and hopefully set things straight politically?
OK - that was just awful. Sorry.
Posted by: wanderglow at Jan 6, 2006 2:32:47 AM
I have read and re-read the proposal, and for the life of me, I still do not understand what his objection is to single women having babies via fertility treatments. I mean, he is clearly OK with married women doing this...who does it hurt exactly? For a single woman to get pregnant via IVF instead of potentially unsafe intercourse?
You may think these are redundant questions, but they are not. I genuinely do not understand. If anyone can enlighten me, please do so!
-A newly pregnant single mother by choice, and by the miracle of reproductive technology.
Posted by: Shauna at Jan 6, 2006 3:04:11 AM
Way to get the message out, Julie -- and it's working:
you're featured on Salon.com!
http://www.salon.com/mwt/broadsheet/2006/01/05/delegate_bob/index.html
Great job!
Posted by: Chookooloonks at Jan 6, 2006 5:55:22 AM
Hi, Julie! You've totally made my week by mentioning me here -- I still read you and so many other wonderful bloggers in the "infertility" blogosphere through Bloglines nearly every day, a year after I first found A Little Pregnant while trying to defeat that awful miscarriage bill last year. BTW, it was your blog that I first read before I found getupgrrl's...you rock!
Thanks so much for bringing more light to "Delicate Bob" (I prefer that to Delegate Bob) and his horrible bill. As someone mentioned above, Bob Marshall is known for putting forth numerous anti-woman "brochure bills" every year, most of which (luckily) do die in committee. However, he has had far too much success with this legislation, because many times it flies under the radar. The worst thing is that most ordinary women in his district may know he's "anti-abortion", but don't know that he's done things like introduce a bill that would make it a felony for a mom to provide contraceptives to a teenage daughter. Publicity like this among passionate, smart women in the infertility blogosphere will help not only to defeat this bill, but to raise awareness among women in his district who might not ordinarily pay enough attention to get out and vote this guy out of office (finally!!!)
:-)
Posted by: Maura at Jan 6, 2006 8:38:11 AM
Holy shit. I cannot believe that this kind of oppression and blatant discrimination can occur in our nation. Yet, I know it happens everyday.
Thanks for giving the heads up. I'm going to forward your site to some friends in VA.
Posted by: Erin at Jan 6, 2006 9:12:46 AM
Bob Marshall got reelected by his constituents in Prince George's County, his constituents in Loudoun County went for his opponent (Yay to the Democrats from the Dulles District!!) So maybe we'll kick him out next time.
I'm alerting my Delegate, David Poisson (newly elected - he beat Dick Black who is an even bigger nut job than Marshall - YAY LOUDOUN COUNTY!!!) but it looks like this bill will probably die in committee the way most of Marshall's bills do.
My guess is that this bill is not aimed at "Single" women per se, but at lesbian women. He has a REAL BIG problem with homosexuality.
BTW, his pro-life stance seems to encompass the death penalty (see this bill) so, though he is a complete sexist, homophobic asshole, he's not a total hypocrite.
Posted by: liz at Jan 6, 2006 9:44:02 AM
Thanks for the info...I do live in VA and will pass the info on to my many politically active friends..those idiots will most certainly be hearing from us.
Posted by: missicat at Jan 6, 2006 10:03:48 AM
This kind of shit is exactly why my partner and I have left the commonwealth. We just refuse to continue to give our tax dollars to these assholes who have nothing better to do then waste time making bigoted, homophobic, misogynist legislation. I won't raise children in such a place. We are writing an open letter explaining that to the VA legislature and governer, and I suggest every single one of you above who mentioned moving out of VA do the same. If they knew how many tax dollars they were losing they might start to rethink this bullshit.
Oh, and Liz, I think you meant Prince William county, Prince Georges is in Maryland.
Posted by: jenny at Jan 6, 2006 10:54:59 AM
Actually, I don't think Marshall's bill is against single women or even lesbian women.
It's actually against assisted reproduction in general. Marshall opposes "unnatural" assisted reproduction methods. He used to be the Executive Director of a group called the "American Life League", an extreme anti-abortion group that also opposes IVF and considers artificial insemination to be a form of adultery.
For all of you dealing with infertility, he also is the author of a book called "Blessed Are the Barren". Nice, huh? Ugh.
Posted by: Maura at Jan 6, 2006 10:58:33 AM
I'm just so proud to live in Virginia. Just when I thought the DC City Council had topped everyone by moving the MLK Day Parade to April 1 (yes, April Fool's Day), here comes Bob Marshall with another carefully-considered, enlightened piece of legislation.
Marshall was the instigator of the law which prohibits same-sex couples from using legal means to give each other any of the rights or obligations of married people. So, hey, you think you can give your partner a health-care power of attorney, same as anyone else? Nix. Have him or her adopt your biological child? Probably not. The way this bill is worded, you may not even be able to designate your partner as your beneficiary for life insurance.
Marshall is a bigoted idiot. How can his constituents not see this?
Posted by: Paula at Jan 6, 2006 11:19:31 AM
Sounds like he's claiming that there's a woman to blame. But we know it's his own damn fault.
(Sorry, but everyone else is expressing our ire adequately, so I thought I could fill the Buffet lyric gap in the comments. Go, Virginia voters!)
Posted by: Moxie at Jan 6, 2006 11:31:43 AM
Maura, "Blessed Are the Barren" ?!?!?!?!?!
I just threw up a little.
Emailing links to my BF in VA right NOW!
Posted by: wheelomatic at Jan 6, 2006 12:10:02 PM
It makes me ill to be from the district right next to his. 3 miles down the road, THIS guy would be representing me!!! Ugh!!
Thanks for the heads up. I wrote to my delegate and plan to flood him with many other impassioned letter until he slaps his colleague upside the head.
Posted by: Jamila at Jan 6, 2006 3:06:53 PM
ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
Damn. Two steps forward, 35 steps back.
Where the hell is this country going, and how do we turn the ship around?
Thanks for the heads up!
Posted by: shelli at Jan 6, 2006 3:59:32 PM
Saw your mention on Salon's Broadsheet and I had to say - FABULOUS!
I have been reading for over a year now and all I have to say is thanks—I have enjoyed every minute. You helped me get through my own infertility stuff and have given tips on what to look forward to as my baby boy gets older.
Julie - you rock!
Posted by: Ginny at Jan 6, 2006 4:06:51 PM
I just sent off a letter to Delegate Bob. Even though I live in CA, not VA, I think it's important to help eachother out.
Posted by: Carrie Jo at Jan 6, 2006 4:26:25 PM
Oh I can't believe I didn't notice this until now. Was distracted by the seething.
It's Buffett, people. TWO T's. :)
Posted by: KathyH at Jan 6, 2006 8:01:27 PM
Oops, yes, Prince WILLIAM. Doh!!!
Any of y'all that live in his district should also contact Bruce Roemelt (pronounced ROM-melt), Marshall's opponent in the last election and sworn to run again in two years.
Posted by: liz at Jan 7, 2006 10:19:48 AM
Holy crap. Unreal.
Posted by: jen/Chew at Jan 7, 2006 12:58:35 PM
Well, this is all perfectly fine as long as they also outlaw sexual intercourse for any purpose other than reproduction. And also dancing and music and dessert.
One wonders if these people really don't have anything better to do. I'm sure I could come up with a few suggestions.
Posted by: Annika at Jan 7, 2006 2:41:36 PM
Also, does anyone else think it sounds like they are encouraging pre-marital sex by limiting the bill to unmarried women?
Posted by: Annika at Jan 7, 2006 2:44:15 PM
What I would really love is for Northern Virginia (mostly dems) to secede from the rest of the state (mostly Republican)! Thanks for the heads up! I already emailed my delegate! Love your blog!
Posted by: Mary at Jan 8, 2006 10:56:10 AM
I'm appalled but not surprised by this bill; these legislative proposals to restrict ART keep popping up (in VA, KY, TX and IN so far, and elsewhere I'm sure). Thanks so much for passing this on, and I'll be sure to do my part to enlighten old delicate Bob...
Posted by: Chandra at Jan 8, 2006 2:23:29 PM
Will turkey basters still be legal? Or will we need to sign an affidavit swearing that we won't use the basters on anything but a turkey?
Posted by: thrice at Jan 8, 2006 11:36:03 PM
