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On Feb. 16, the Alabama Supreme Court issued a ruling asserting that embryos produced through in vitro fertilization (IVF) should now be legally recognized as children. This decision has prompted numerous IVF clinics in the state to temporarily suspend their services, sparking concerns among medical professionals and patients. Additionally, some Republican lawmakers are finding themselves in a delicate position as they navigate between their anti-abortion base and the broader American public.
Straight Arrow News contributor Adrienne Lawrence adds her voice to the critics of the ruling, highlighting what she sees as blatant hypocrisy, and argues that the ruling is unconstitutional.
Does this mean child support starts at fertilization? Can Alabamans claim frozen embryos on their taxes? Does a pregnant woman in a Birmingham carpool lane get a pass? Or maybe must a miscarriage at 10 weeks mandate a police report? Where does it end? Help me out. Claiming embryos are children is as much Grade-A foolishness as Kobe is Grade-A beef — it makes no sense.
This ruling forces IVF clinics to shutter their doors. It forces prospective parents in Alabama to seek opportunity elsewhere. It also makes family planning for single women and queer people far harder. Yet it’s what our nation seems to be allowing, at least down in Alabama.
And no shade to ‘Bama, although I don’t think it should be talking about protecting human life when it ranks 45th overall in child well-being, 47th in education, 45th in health care. And last year, following the reversal of Roe v. Wade, didn’t it eliminate all exceptions for abortion? Yeah.
So now, calling a cluster of cells stored in anti-freeze “children” seems to be on the struggle bus, just as the state has been for a long time. Labeling embryos as children isn’t the doing of a democracy. In fact, it’s the undoing of one.
