New law would require man’s approval for partner’s abortion because women are only “hosts,” and pregnant women’s bodies are not their own.

Oklahoma state legislator Rep. Justin Humphrey is sponsoring a draconian bill, HB 1441, that would require a woman to get written permission from her sexual partner if she wants to have an abortion.

The Intercept reports:

The legislation would require a woman seeking an abortion first to obtain written permission from her sexual partner. It would also require her to provide his name to her doctor and would forestall the procedure if the man wanted the opportunity to challenge paternity.

Attempting to justify the despicable legislation Rep. Humphrey told The Intercept that women have no right to bodily autonomy once they are pregnant because they are merely “hosts”:

I understand that they feel like that is their body. I feel like it is a separate — what I call them is, is you’re a ‘host.’ And you know when you enter into a relationship you’re going to be that host and so, you know, if you pre-know that then take all precautions and don’t get pregnant.

Rep. Humphrey continued:

So that’s where I’m at. I’m like, hey, your body is your body and be responsible with it. But after you’re irresponsible then don’t claim, well, I can just go and do this with another body, when you’re the host and you invited that in.

Rep. Humphrey also said his intent behind the legislation was to let men have a say, declaring:

I believe one of the breakdowns in our society is that we have excluded the man out of all of these types of decisions.

Commenting on the despicable legislation, Amanda Allen, senior state legislative counsel for the Center for Reproductive Rights, said:

I would say it’s certainly a new low for Oklahoma. This is, to my mind, a fruitless effort to shame and stigmatize women who are seeking abortion care and it is completely and unequivocally unconstitutional.

Allen is right, if passed the law would certainly be unconstitutional. The U.S. Supreme Court struck down a similar provision in 1992.

She is also right to note that the legislation is ultimately a mean-spirited attempt to shame and stigmatize women who are seeking an abortion.

Bottom line: For Rep. Justin Humphrey, and conservatives like him, pregnant women’s bodies are not their own: Women are merely “hosts” – and the man must give his approval for abortion to take place.