Women Not Livestock

Illinois Rep. Pushes Viagra Law

Women’s Issues – In Illinois, lawmakers in the House Agriculture Committee have been working on more women’s health issues than they have agriculture legislation. An agriculture committee usually deals with issues like farming and livestock, yet last year seven bills were sent through the Committee that dealt with issues like gambling, abortion, and concealed weapons. Their latest bill has Rep. Kelly Cassidy a little ticked, and in response, she plans on proposing a “Viagra” bill.

The committee recently proposed the “Ambulatory Surgical Treatment Center Act,” which would impose stricter regulations on health clinics that provide abortions. They also want to pass “the Ultrasound Opportunity Act, which would require women seeking abortions to view an ultrasound of the fetus, or sign a statement documenting reasons for refusing.”

Rep. Cassidy plans to counter the extreme bill by introducing a measure that would require any man seeking to take Viagra to watch a video that documents all the possible side effects of the drug. If you’re one of many who never hear those effects at the end of commercials it includes, headaches, nasal congestion, dizziness, chest pain, memory loss, seizures, loss of hearing, and more. Is an erection really worth the side effects?

“When the ultrasound bill was introduced, I talked about desire to put something in that was reciprocal,” Cassidy said according to Stuff Queer People Need to Know. “If we were to require informed consent for potential erectile dysfunction patients on the potential side effects and treatment of those side effects, it would be a reasonable balance.”

Supposedly the agriculture committee sees many of these controversial bills because a majority of members are conservative enough to pass them to the floor.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Illinois called the regulations of the Ambulatory Surgical Treatment Center Act “excessive and medically unnecessary” and held a rally on February 21st aptly called “Women are not Livestock” in Springfield, Ill.

Currently, the bill is still being debated.

To read more visit the Huffington Post and the Illinois General Assembly.