Protesters chanting outside of senate chambers during the hearing of Senate bill 1

Following the recent overturning of Roe V wade, many states have taken action through restrictive reproductive legislation, but legislators are not the only ones taking action.

In early July Indiana legislators returned to the state house for a special session vetting a number of bills including Senate Bill 1, an abortion bill that quickly created controversy among Hoosiers. Introduced by Senator Glick (R), the bill prohibits abortions except in cases of rape, incest, fetal anomaly, or when to protect the health or life of the mother. The bill set to take effect on September 15th caused many Hoosiers to take to the streets and social media apps to voice their concerns for the future of Indiana’s abortion access.

 Many of those against the legislation are posing the question of whether women’s rights are being prioritized by legislators.   “Girls born in Indiana this summer will grow up with fewer rights than their mothers. Reproductive rights seem so clear to some until you talk to doctors and mothers who have stories to tell. “What is missing in this narrative”, says Julius C. Trimble, a bishop at the United Methodist Church, while questioning the recent legislative actions of Indiana legislators on Twitter. Despite the growing number of Hoosiers who voiced their concerns, legislators in contrast continued to stand by the Bill:  “Our mission this special session was to protect the unborn and make clear that we are not here to criminalize women. With the passage of Senate Bill 1 (ss), we took a huge step forward in a post-Roe world by ensuring more babies have the right to life. “ reported Senator Glick in a press release. In reference to the bill’s passing, she added,   “We are also providing women with the support they need before, during, and after their pregnancy with the passage of the wraparound services in Senate Bill 2 (ss). Life is precious and we believe we have respected that with the bills we passed into law” 

Among the Hoosiers voicing their concerns and questioning the effects of such legislation on the future of health care is Dr. Tracy Wilkinson. Dr. Wilkinson, a pediatrician and assistant professor of pediatrics at Indiana University, recently gained recognition for her article in the New York Times,  “Dr. Caitlyn Bernard Was Meant to Write This With Me Before She Was Attacked for Doing Her Job” in which she spoke out against the recent attacks on coworker Dr.Caitlyn Bernard. Dr. Caitlyn, an obstetrician, and gynecologist made headlines for speaking out about a 10-year-old rape victim patient of hers. Seeing the rise in the attacks and harassment of medical professionals Dr. Wilkinson decided to voice her concerns.

In a recent exclusive PPHS Now interview, Dr. Wilkinson reflected on the recent reproductive law, saying  “there are a lot of people in med school and in residency that are already starting to think about leaving because they don’t want to work in a state where they can go to jail or lose their medical license”.

While the bill has yet to take action, many others like Dr. Wilkinson have voiced their concerns about its possible effects on the healthcare system as they fear such legislation could lead to a further shortage of healthcare workers. Planned Parenthood Indiana, Indiana’s primary source of abortion care, will be forced to stop providing that care on Sept. 15 when the state’s abortion ban is set to take effect.