Three Republicans, a Democrat, and an Independent joined as the only five women in the state senate to block the legislation.
April 28, 2023

A bill dubbed the 'Human Life Protection Act' that would ban almost all abortions in South Carolina has been rejected in a 22-21 vote after five female lawmakers led a multi-day filibuster against the bill. The state's Senate has previously rejected the ban from conception twice, so this marks the third time.

The Hill reports:

Three Republicans, a Democrat, and an Independent joined together as the only five women in the state senate to block the legislation, which sought to ban abortion from conception with exceptions for rape, incest, fatal fetal anomalies and to save the life of the mother.

The bill ultimately failed in a 22-21 vote on Thursday. This is the third time that a near-total abortion ban has failed to pass the Republican-majority chamber since the overturning of Roe v. Wade last June.

Republican Sen. Sandy Senn had some sharp words for Majority Leader Shane Massey, saying that he was repeatedly "taking us off a cliff on abortion."

"The only thing that we can do when you all, you men in the chamber, metaphorically keep slapping women by raising abortion again and again and again, is for us to slap you back with our words," Senn said, according to the Associated Press.

Sen. Mia McLeod, an Independent, who previously shared that she had been raped, said it is unfortunate that women must reveal intimate experiences to "enlighten and engage" men.

"Just as rape is about power and control, so is this total ban," McLeod said. "Those who continue to push legislation like this are raping us again with their indifference, violating us again with their righteous indignation, taunting us again with their insatiable need to play God while they continue to pass laws that are ungodly."

Well done, ladies.

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