Result of 'Personhood Amendment' Vote Shows Mississippi Isn't Totally Nuts

on November 9, 2011 at 9:39 AM

protesters holding signs to keep abortion safe and legal Yesterday's election results are in, and the "personhood amendment" on the ballot in Mississippi that had anti-abortionists cheering from the rooftops has been defeated. More than 55 percent of the state's voters said "hell no" to the initiative. Now, Mississippi women can rest assured that their federal right to a safe, legal abortion will not be compromised by the proposed law, which purported to "protect unborn babies" by defining a fertilized egg as a person (even in the cases of rape or incest). It would have also threatened fertility treatment techniques, like in vitro fertilization.

If the amendment had passed, it would have undoubtedly stirred up legal trouble downstream, as it was such a BLATANT attempt to overturn the Supreme Court's 1973 Roe v. Wade decision. Now that the amendment has failed, its supporters will be the ones to take a step back -- not those of us who would prefer to see our states and nation move forward.

What happened yesterday in Mississippi is no fluke. It illustrated just how unready even one of the most conservative states in the nation is for extreme laws that throw women's health and choices under the bus. "Personhood" amendments have now failed in two states: Mississippi and Colorado (in 2008 and 2010), but that alone is reassuring. I see the trend as proof that most Americans aren't interested in turning the clock back completely to a pre-1973 world.

I take it to mean that there are fewer people out there interested in derailing progress and more people out there who value women controlling their own destinies. And that's heartening to say the least.

Now, this isn't to say that there aren't people on the right who won't continue to attempt to chip away at or even challenge Roe. The issue continues to be so contentious and polarizing that I'm positive we'll be duking it out on the state level for years to come. (In fact, the always enterprising organization Personhood USA is pushing to get initiatives similar to this Mississippi one on 2012 ballots in Florida, Montana, Ohio, and Oregon.) But the defeat of this amendment in Mississippi is a resounding, significant win ... one that will not only be celebrated, but also prepare us for the ongoing fight ahead.

Are you surprised the "Personhood Amendment" was defeated? Do you agree that this shows the majority of Americans are not interested in overturning Roe?

Image via barb.howe/Flickr

About the author Maressa Brown

has enjoyed reporting and writing for a variety of entertainment and women's magazines and websites. More often than not, you'll find her blogging, reading, researching something on her iPhone, laughing, chatting at an above-"normal" volume, or getting her caffeine fix.

Filed Under: abortion, politics, 2012 election

Comments (20)

Nonmember comment from andie

on Nov 9, 2011 at 9:46 AM

I'm incredibly glad to see this proposition defeated. I'm still in shock that it got as far as it did, though.

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jagamama0710

on Nov 9, 2011 at 9:52 AM

I was wondering if someone was going to write about this. It didn't win by a landslide though...which is the scary part. An enormous amount of people voted YES to this garbage. I wonder if some were just voting because GAH ABORTION KILLING BABIES IS WRONG IT'S IN THE BIBLE. It would be interesting to know how many supporters were men. I wonder if they realized that if that had passed it would very likely ban certain birth controls because there are absolute morons in this world who believe birth control is the same as abortion.

Slippery slope people...slippery slope.

on Nov 9, 2011 at 9:58 AM

Before anyone comes on saying it wouldn't ban birth control (specifically IUD's) or some IVF practices...it very well could have. The president of Personhood USA himself said as much.

hotrdumommy

on Nov 9, 2011 at 10:06 AM

What really got me about this amendment was the fact that it would open the door to investigations if a woman was to miscarry. This law was too broad and vague on what was to be outlawed. Also it they were so concerned with the preservation of life, what about the children who are already here and born into poverty and placed in foster homes and "the system" until they are 18. Where are the advoctates for these children?

sunnytxmom

on Nov 9, 2011 at 10:08 AM

I believe that life begins at conception, but I would never have supported this proposition.

zandhmom2

on Nov 9, 2011 at 10:31 AM

I also believe life begins at conception. I personally remember hearing my babies heart beat for the first time and being in awed on it and that happens so early in your pregnancy that I can't image after that still aborting the baby but that is my personal feeling and I don't put that on anyone else. In a perfect world, babies would be conceived only to women who want them but we don't live in a perfect world. I truly wish that more women put real thought into their reproductions choices and realize that they not only have the right to have abortions but that they also have the right to prevent unwanted pregnancies. The effort put into birth control is a lot less effort than raising a child.

on Nov 9, 2011 at 10:32 AM

Oh and for the record, I too would not have supported this bill.

Kritika

on Nov 9, 2011 at 10:34 AM

Why can't abortion advocates and pro lifers come to some sort of agreement? Maybe make it illegal after a heartbeat is detected.

starrsitter

on Nov 9, 2011 at 10:43 AM

Personhood will have a very difficult time passing because it hits too close to home for many people. It's one thing to tell yourself that you'll never need or want an abortion, but you probably use hormonal birth control or know someone who has used IVF or whose health/life was threatened by a pregnancy. Even staunchly 'pro-life' people understand the absurdity of applying this in practice, so while they may tell pollsters that they support it, they vote with their reason when they're alone at the ballot.

Facebook comment from Kathleen Young

on Nov 9, 2011 at 10:47 AM

I was a bit worried that this would pass. I am glad it did not. I asked my husband last night what would be next....burka's? I am glad to know that the majority of people out there feel that women are more than housekeeping wombs. I think that all women (and men) must be able to make the choice to be "moral" on their own....and that starts (usually) way before the moment of conception.