By Alec Nunez

Mississippi has made media headlines with its legislation moving ever closer to passing an outright ban on abortion past fifteen weeks after pregnancy. If passed, this will be the earliest abortion limit in terms of weeks after pregnancy in the US.

According to Mississippi governor Phil Bryant’s spokesperson, Bryant will sign the bill if it manages to reach his desk. The signing of the bill derives from the governor’s dream to have “Mississippi to be the safest place in America for an unborn child.” This doctrine of safety for unborn children is further preached by Lt. Governor Tate Reeves who claims “Mississippians are committed to protecting the lives of unborn children…”.

In its current form, Mississippi law prohibits the act of abortion after twenty weeks of pregnancy, a statute that is under scrutiny and facing the possibility of a five week deduction.

While this law may seem splendid to those who are pro-life, uproar is being heard across the state, not only from pro-abortionists, but from a spectrum of women. According to Planned Parenthood’s Director of State Policy Media, Danielle Wells, this proposition is unconstitutional. She further elaborates on her displeasure with this idea stating that, “Already, far too many women cannot access safe, legal abortions in Mississippi because of existing barriers and restrictions. If this measure passes, it would make a bad situation even worse for women.”

The law’s current status is still under voting by the Mississippi houses, with the next house not having voted yet. If passed, this law will raise serious concerns with bodily freedom among women and will see repercussions the likes of which are unruly.

This law ultimately finds itself in a gray area, seeking to do good yet also causes distrust and anger in the demographic it affects. The future of Mississippi women and human rights rests on the point of a pen, and the outcome is expected to be heard across the nation very soon.