Letter To The Editor: "Laws Marginalize" @ The Wichita Eagle, 24 Jan. 2014

Regarding “Not extremist” (Jan. 19 Letters to the Editor): In Kansas, prior to the enactment of TRAP laws (targeted regulation of abortion providers), clinics that provide abortions were governed under rules and regulations for office-based surgery. These rules and regulations were developed and written by more than 20 medical professionals from across the state. These rules aided in regulating, in a non-prejudicial manner, all offices that offer surgery.

David Gittrich of Kansans for Life wrongly asserted that abortion providers must be regulated by anti-choice groups because physicians who do abortions just can’t follow the rules. Marginalizing and stigmatizing physicians who provide abortion care and the women who seek that care further alienates this medical specialty from mainstream medicine. This could open the door to people who operate outside the realm of legal medicine and, thereupon, take advantage of people – the Kermit Gosnells of the world. Let me be clear: By no means is Gosnell the norm in abortion care.

Anti-choice laws do little but marginalize women who want services and the physicians who practice medicine. With all the so-called anti-abortion laws that have been passed in this state, where are the results that the anti-choice folks say will come from it? The reality is that women continue to need and seek abortion care.

The anti-choice faction should lobby to invest more dollars into family planning services, well-woman care, prenatal care and sexual education. Then, just maybe, we’ll see them make a difference.

JULIE A. BURKHART

Director

South Wind Women’s Center

Wichita