Destini Hampton –
It is no secret that women’s autonomy has been under significant threat as of late. This has been such a pressing issue that even the youth are concerned about their future rights to their own body. With Women’s History Month coming to an end, Red House Representatives Kennedy Gienapp, Pia Schulte, and Emily Webb have decided to address this women’s rights issue in their bill.
RHB/22-1-3 is a bill that will prohibit physicians from denying contraceptive procedures based on marital status for patients over the age of 18. Gienapp, Schulte, and Webb have all expressed how they believe that this issue, though affecting a lot of women, is often overlooked. Their bill also proposes that physicians will be required to give a “full and reasonable medical explanation to the patient as to the consequences and risks of the operation, as required by Tennessee code 68-34-108.” Physicians who fail to follow this bill will have a six-month long suspension of their medical license and be fined $5,000 that will go toward state healthcare facilities.
Though women have fought long and hard for their rights, they are still very limited, especially when it comes to their own bodies. Gienapp, Schulte, and Webb intend on changing that reality. These young women, like their fellow delegates, are fighting hard to get their bill passed and take a step toward women getting the rights they deserve.
Department of Public Information 