Bans off our bodies

Most of you likely know this about me, but in January 2008 I was 12 weeks pregnant. My body went into labor and I miscarried. I thought I was dying. The pain was intense and I didn’t understand how I could be losing so much blood and still be alive. I had a seizure in the emergency room while waiting for care. Afterwards, I needed surgery to remove the rest of the pregnancy, since my body didn’t expel it all on its own.

Had this happened to me today instead of in 2008, it is likely I would have died from blood loss or sepsis. In Texas, where I live, it is currently illegal for doctors to provide medical care to a woman who is miscarrying her fetus until she is dangerously close to death. Your friend Katy, who is weird and funny and kind and artistic and hopefully mostly a joy to know, would probably be dead.

So: If you haven’t yet voted in this election, please do it for me, as a personal favor. Go to your polling place on Tuesday, stand in line, however long it takes. For me. Vote for Harris, vote for Colin Allred if you live in Texas, and vote Democratic all the way down the ticket to your local level — for me.