the
Volume 119, Issue 04
VISTA “Our Words, Your Voice.”
vistanews1903 @thevista1903 @thevista1903 The Vista ucentralmedia.com Tuesday, Sept. 21, 2021
Extended fall break in jeopardy
ww
INSIDE
Football
In a disappointing fourth quarter, UCO Bronchos lost to Missouri Southern. See Pg. 7
Adrienne Nobles, vice president for communications and public affairs, announced the university has now reached 30% in reported vaccinated students. For an extended fall break, 50% of students need to report. (The Vista/ Photo Illustration by Madalyn Nix)
Kaleb Simmons and Christopher Lomelin Contributing Writers
Melton Gallery
Zines and magazines are featured in this exhibition that highlights Women’s rights. See Pg. 4
With the Oct. 1 deadline rapidly approaching to extend fall break by up to a week, UCO needs another 20 percent of students to reach the goal to extend break by even one day. A number of students told The Vista that more days off really doesn’t matter to them. Rachel Stokesberry, a sophomore at UCO, stated, “I don’t really care for it, but it would be nice.” Bradley Burk, a UCO student, also said that he didn’t care about having
the longer fall break. Ashlyn Hanlon, a senior at UCO stated: “It would be nice but I won’t complain if it isn’t extended.” The Move the Needle campaign has three goals: one being when 50% of the student population has reported that they have been vaccinated, the next at 60%, and the third at 70%. Each goal will give an additional day of fall break for each goal. As of Monday, 30% of the student population had self-reported that they have been vaccinated.To report a vaccination, the student must provide a picture or PDF as proof of a vaccina-
tion. This caused some problems with reporting COVID-19 vaccinations for one student. The student, who wishes not to be named, said they could not find their vaccination card, which no longer allows them to report their vaccination. They said that they would report their vaccination if they could. Students interviewed by The Vista did not seem to mind UCO knowing that they had been vaccinated. Amy Wilder said she had no problem with the university knowing her vaccination status. Stokesberry, Burk, and Hanlon all also had no issue with their vaccination status being known.
Bike safety a priorty since thefts
Esports
Sam Royka
Esports makes its debut with new coaches and players.
Staff Writer
See Pg. 7
Since 2020, Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt and hospital officials in Oklahoma City encouraged residents to voluntarily socially distance, wash hands and wear masks, but he will not allow schools to mandate masks. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
UCO struggles with mask mandates Around Campus Events and seminars! UCO hosts a Marijuana Through the Ages event along with a blood drive. See Pg. 2
Ainsley Martinez Managing Editor
Last week, UCO students asked a panel of administrators why more wasn’t being done to prevent the spread
of COVID-19 on campus. At a town hall meeting on Sept. 14, students suggested that the fall break incentive wasn’t doing Continued on Pg. 3
Since early August, there have been six or seven bike thefts on campus, said Jeff Harp, executive director of Public Safety and chief of police at UCO. “We are keeping a close eye on campus and bike racks,” said Harp, mentioning that police are checking security camera footage when bike thefts are reported. Harp urged students to report any suspicious behavior on campus to UCO Police. A motivating factor for
the thefts may be that people are taking the bikes to sell on social media or to part out to sell or fix other bikes, Harp said. “For some people, the $50 they make off a bike might be worth it,” he said. Buying a good lock is a great place to start when keeping a bike safe, Harp said. Harp recommended a steel U lock, one that cannot easily be cut with bolt cutters or lockpicked. This is the same kind that comes with the Bum-A-Bike rental at UCO, free with a UCO ID. Harp urged students to Continued on Pg. 3
2 | The Vista
Sept. 21, 2021
tions building. Students of any major are invited to join. Tuesday, Sept. 21, 2021 FACS: Barbara DeMaio / Sallie Pollack: This performance starts at 7:30 p.m. at the Jazz Lab in Edmond, located at 100 E. Fifth St. Doors open at 7 p.m. and tickets are $10 to enter. Marijuana Through the Ages: The UCO Peer Health Leaders are hosting this free event in Thatcher Hall 343 from 1 to 2 p.m. Learn more about the origins of marijuana and how it has changed over time. Wednesday, Sept. 22, 2021 Book Discussion - Radical Hope: A Teaching Manifesto: This in-person event will take place at 12 p.m. Contact Cristi Moore at cmoore60@uco. edu for more information. Adulting 101: The Art of Taking Initiative: This virtual event will take place from 3 to 4 p.m. Learn the art of leading through initiating action while balancing your approach and communication style. F/64 Photo Club Meeting: UCO’s Photo Club is hosting their next meeting at 1 p.m. in the Woody Gaddis Gallery in the Mass Communica-
Thursday, Sept. 23, 2021
COVID-19 Vaccine and Flu Shot Clinic: This clinic is taking place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Nigh University Center, Room 320 B and C. This is open to all UCO students, faculty and staff members. Pre-registration is strongly encouraged. Masks are required. OBI Blood Drive: The Athletic Training Student Association at UCO is hosting this free blood drive from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Free Lunch!: The Wesley Foundation at UCO is hosting free lunch from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. for UCO students at Wesley House, located at 310 E. Hurd St. in Edmond. Arts and Activism: STLR is hosting this event from 6 to 8 p.m. Explore the intersections of activism and the many diverse forms of art. Friday, Sept. 24, 2021 COVID-19 Vaccine and Flu Shot Clinic: This clinic is taking place
Around Campus
from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Nigh University Center, Room 320 B and C. This is open to all UCO students, faculty and staff members. Pre-registration is strongly encouraged. Masks are required. Mental Health First Aid Training: The Center for Counseling and Well-Being is hosting this event from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. virtually. Participants will complete a two hour self-paced module online prior to the online instructor-led training on this day. Squad Live: This performance will begin at 8 p.m. at the Jazz Lab, located at 100 E. Fifth St. in Edmond. Tickets are $15 and can be purchased online or by calling (405) 974-2100. French Club Dog Training: The French Club is hosting this free event from 11 a.m. to noon North of the Blue Tent at Broncho Lake. Learn basic commands in French, Spanish, and German for you and your furry companion. Saturday, Sept. 25, 2021 Dance Masterclass with Bradley “Shooz” Rapier: The UCO Department of Dance is hosting this masterclass. The cost is $15 if registration is done in advance online. The cost is
To submit events for next week’s Around Campus, please email thevista@ucentralmedia.com. Include the title of your event, time and place, and a brief description. Descriptions are subject to editing.
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$20 via cash or check at the door. Jessica Tate: This performance will begin at 8 p.m. at the Jazz Lab in Edmond, located at 100 E. Fifth St. Doors open at 7 p.m. and tickets cost $15. Tickets can be purchased online or by calling (405) 974-2100. Sunday, Sept. 26, 2021 Mountain Smoke: This performance will begin at 7 p.m. at the Jazz Lab in Edmond, located at 100. E Fifth St. Doors open at 6 p.m. and tickets cost $20. Correction: Last week’s story on the Broncho Bystander Training was incorrectly cited as being hosted by the UCO Center for Counselling and Well-being. The event was actually hosted by UCO Health Promotion.
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Opinion columns, editorial cartoons, reviews and commentaries represent the views of the writer or artist and not necessarily the views of The Vista Editorial Board, the Department of Mass Communication, UCO or the Board of Regents of Oklahoma Colleges. The Vista is not an official medium of expression for the Regents or UCO.
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The Vista | 3
Sept. 21, 2021
Safety/Town Hall
Bike safety a priority since thefts Continued from Pg. 1
report any suspicious behavior on campus to UCO Police. A motivating factor for the thefts may be that people are taking the bikes to sell on social media or to part out to sell or fix other bikes, Harp said. “For some people, the $50 they make off a bike might be worth it,” he said. Buying a good lock is a great place to start when keeping a bike safe, Harp said. Harp recommended a steel U lock, one that cannot easily be cut with bolt cutters or lockpicked. This is the same kind that comes with the Bum-A-Bike rental at UCO, free with a UCO ID. Harp urged students to consider “protecting a $400 bike with a $50 lock,” mentioning that cheap bike locks can easily be lock picked or cut. The UCO Police suspect that thieves are bringing bolt cutters onto campus. Harp recommended locking your bike through the steel frame rather
than through the front tire, which can be easily removed. Bikes have been stolen and the tire left behind as well, he said. Proper bike parking is on a bike rack, Harp said, mentioning not to lock a bike to a tree or pole. He also said not to lock it to another bike, as police will cut the lock and impound the bike. Bikes are available via UCO’s Central Cycle Bum-A-Bike service. They have around 70 bicycles in various styles, and bikes may be checked out for up to 14 days. The Bum-a-bike checkout form is available online, and more information may be found in Bausher Place 201. In addition, bike owners may note there are five bicycle repair stations on campus. Information about thefts may be reported to police@uco.edu or by calling the main office at 405-974-2345.
Bike rack outside Bausher Place, where some of the thefts have occurred. (The Vista/ Sam Royka)
COVID town hall meeting addresses Senate Bill 658 Continued from Pg. 1
enough and other measures should be taken. One student, who identified himself as Ben, told the panel that he felt last year’s mask mandate slowed the spread of COVID-19. “I know it may not be politically correct, but why is the university hesitating to mandate vaccines and masks, when they know it’s the right thing to do?” Ben asked. It is not that the panel, lined with administrators representing the university, disagreed necessarily Director of Emergency Management Norman Nieves said. “It’s against the law, and that’s really what it boils down to unfortunately,” Nieves said. “We’ve been struggling with this since the bill got passed.” Senate Bill 658 was enacted this summer and prohibits schools from requiring a mask mandate for the unvaccinated. Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt signed the bill, telling a Fox 25 reporter the pandemic is a “different fight today than it was a year ago.” At the town hall, vice president for communications and public affairs, Adrienne Nobles, announced: “We’re currently at 24% of our fall enrollment self-reporting COVID-19 vaccination.” In the week since, the number has grown to 30%, Nobles stated. However, the meeting focused less on the Move The Needle campaign and more on the COVID protocols in place, and the factors limiting current decision-making. “This year, we legally do not have some of the options that we had last year in terms of mitigation. If you’re wondering why there’s no mask mandate it’s because your state legislator has made sure that
Students wear masks inside the food court where they study. Taken in March 2021, masks were mandated on campus at this point. (The Vista/ UCO Central Media, File)
we are not able to do that,” Nobles said, “So the power is really in you all.” Potential solutions such as mask mandates, other vaccination incentives and extended classroom learning options dominate the conversation, even outside of the town hall meeting. A lecturer at the university said he felt a “moral consideration” to allow students to attend class through Zoom, barring university protocols. “Yes, I want my students to learn, I want my students to be successful in their education, but I felt like that value was outweighed by my concern about the health, well-being and safety of my students,” the lecturer said. The lecturer asked to remain anonymous due to his critical views of the governor and the universi-
ty’s approach to the pandemic. The current state of the pandemic, with Oklahoma fifth in positive COVID-19 cases by population at 30.8%, according to John Hopkins University, brings unique challenges with different answers. Cole Stanley, associate vice president for student affairs, encouraged students at the town hall meeting to find their own power while the university navigates their legal standing. “As citizens of the state of Oklahoma, I hope you’re registered to vote, and that you understand you can contact your local representatives and Congress people,” Stanley said. “This is where you have a different kind of power than the university has in situations like this.”
4 | The Vista
Sept. 21, 2021
Melton Gallery
Women’s Rights are Human Rights Gallery features gender-based inequality, violence and discrimination
Guests observe poster art by Barbara Carrasco, Jessica Sabogal, Molly Crabapple and Ricardo Levins Morales in the Melton Gallery Thursday afternoon. Descriptions of the artists and their backgrounds are next to the posters. This gallery is on display until Nov. 18 and is open to the public. (The Vista/Madalyn Nix)
A male guest observes powerful art pieces addressing government power over women’s bodies. These specific pieces are some of the most provocative in the entire gallery. (The Vista/Madalyn Nix)
Guests socialize as they observe Melanie Cervantes’ poster. Stories about phenomenal women and their marks in history are displayed throughout the gallery. (The Vista/Madalyn Nix)
Postcards are on display to be filled out by guests. (The Vista/Madalyn Nix)
The Vista | 5
Sept. 21, 2021
Culture/Art
UCO kicks off Latinx Heritage Month Keely Sanchez
Contributing Writer
Latinx Heritage Month kicked off on Wednesday as the University of Central Oklahoma’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion hosted a Latinx Heritage Month conference on Sept. 15 in the Nigh Grand Ballroom for local high school students looking to attend UCO after graduation. Student volunteer Suzeth Gallegos performed at the event. “I think the Latinx event is really important because it helps students get acquainted with the campus, and it shows them that there are people that look like them here,” Gallegos, HASA volunteer coordinator, said. “They have a lot of support if they decide to come to UCO.” UCO’s Hispanic American Student Association played a part in the task force that allowed this event to happen. Gallegos performed the song “Rosas” by Spanish pop band La Oreja De Van Gogh. She performed with friends Rigo Peruch and Gerardo Santillan. According to UCO’s director ODI, Dene Roseburr-Olotu, they scaled the event down this yeardue to COVID-19. Primeros Pasos was first hosted in 2019 and they were unable to have it last year due to COVID-19. In 2019, they had a little over 100 hundred students. This year, they were able to host 60 students. Primeros Pasos, which is a student conference for high school students, included financial aid break-
out sessions. There was also a student leader panel and multicultural Greek council that prospective students would rotate through. “We spent a little more time on scholarships and financial aid this year in breakout sessions,” Roseburr-Olotu said. “That was some feedback that we received from the students in 2019 that they are really interested in. They wanted to know how they can make college a reality and how to navigate FAFSA and look for scholarships.” Gallegos said the kickoff event is an introduction to the rest of the month’s festivities. “We basically come to celebrate together, and it’s a celebration of a celebration in itself,” Gallegos said. According to the UCO website, the use of the word “Latinx” is a student-led effort to shift from the traditionally/nationally used “Hispanic,” to a word that is more inclusive to non-Hispanic students from a Latin American background. Latinx includes individuals from non-Spanish speaking countries and cultures. The next event for Latinx is Las Carnalas, Sept. 30 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Other events honoring Latinx heritage will continue through November , including: Las Bellas Artes del Resplandeciente Quetzal, Fiestas de Las Americas, Latinx Leadership Panel and Dia de los Muertos. To learn more, visit the UCO official website or HASA and the Office of Diversity and Inclusion social media pages about the upcoming events.
Gerardo Santillan performing at the UCO Latinx event. (The Vista/Keely Sanchez)
Zine Library offers new collabrative artwork for students in Melton exhibition hall Leelandd Gates Contributing Writer
Zine Library opened in the Melton Gallery at UCO on Thursday. According to Veronica Cianfrano, UCO exhibitions curator, the library is a communal space to create and engage. The gallery is open for walk-ins from noon to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Friday viewing will be available by appointment, and faculty are encouraged to book classes that day. Cianfrano said that zines derive from the word “magazines.'' Zines are works that are not published under a publishing company but instead made by a range of collaborators for one project. These booklets are typically fan made and self-funded pieces containing literature and art. The original intention of zines was to be more accessible to the public. They had a rise in popularity during the 1960s when counterculture was peaking in the Western part of the world. Now, they are mostly used for community building. Cianfrano said she started writing proposals for the zine library over a
Melon Gallery offers artwork stations for students to create their own zines in exhibition halls. (The Vista/Leelandd Gates)
year ago. The department received a $1,500 grant that helped the project really come together. The first exhibition was planned by Cianfrano and Amanda “Mandy” Horton, a design professor. Cianfrano says that most exhibitions take at least a year for them to get put together. “There is a lot to take in here, so it's really just an invitation for people to come check it out and learn a little bit,”
Cianfrano said. She said she wants people to think of the zine library as a place to eventually come to and hang out for a while. The library is a permanent addition to Melton Gallery, and students are free to use the workstations in the gallery to create artwork and collaborate with others to create their own zines. Each workstation will have art supplies, and students may use the whole
space to create whatever they want. The workstations will be sectioned off in a part of the gallery, separate from the exhibition as the hall’s walls will eventually change. The “Women's Rights Are Human Rights” exhibition is scheduled to end Nov. 18 with a closing reception, and the walls will change then. For more information on the Melton Gallery, visit www.meltongallery.com.
6 | The Vista
Sept. 21, 2021
COVID /Training
Students get honest in ‘Ghosts of COVID’
Video special highlights difficult pandemic year Hollye Carroll
Contributing Writer
A group of University of Central Oklahoma students are sharing their stories in“Ghosts of Covid.” The two-part special, made by the spring semester’s Video News IIclass, covers topics such as the loss of parents, postpartumdepression, international students, racism and more. Dr. Desiree Hill, the class’ professor, said, it’s a tradition for the class to do one big group project. “In the past, topics have ranged from an entertainment-style late show’ to various specials on UCO educational themes,” Hill said. “We begin the brainstorming process early in the semester. At this point, anything is on the table. From there, we begin to narrow down what students are interested in reporting on and communicating about. It was clear at a certain point that we couldn’t get away from the topic of COVID.” Leelandd Gates, a senior professional media major who hosted “Ghosts of Covid” also said the project’s theme became clear when the class realized it was a year into the pandemic and they’d all been greatly affected by it. “While things were looking up at the time, things are always changing and we’re trying to adapt to it,” Gates said. Hill and Gates spoke about how open the classmates were with each other, Hill considered that their conversations would be of interest to a broader audience. “As I observed the students having conversations together about their ‘COVID year,’ which is now turning into years with an ‘s’, there was really
Video News II students talk in a video roundtable about COVID-19’s influence on their school year. (Provided/Video News II)
rich content in those conversations. The students were amazingly open with each other and with me about how COVID has affected them,” Hill said. “By the time we did what we call the “table recording,” what I observed from the the start of the semester to the end of the semester was hope, positivity and resilience. Of course, that was a more hopeful time. Students had started to get vaccinated, the case numbers were dropping andIt was before the Delta variant surge.” Gates said there was a bond between the class from the project and
an unparalleled change in everyone from the pandemic. “At the very end, realizing that all of our stories really did mean something to each other and that we are all connected by that fact and by what we’ve all beenthrough, we’ve all changed and will continue to change because of this until it’s over.” You may watch both parts of “Ghosts of Covid” on the UCentral Facebook page.
Watch Ghosts of COVID on the UCentral Facebook page. (Provided/Video News II)
Initiative work shop helps students be more professional Shannon Chuah Contributing Writer
Students can attend a virtual workshop about taking the initiative from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday. Adulting 101 is hosted by UCO’s College of Business Student Success Center, Niccole Miller, director of Student Success and Retention, said the workshop gives students learning tools at work. “Taking initiative is about taking ownership and going that extra mile and thinking ahead of stuff before
someone tells you to do something,” Miller, Adulting 101 host, said. The workshop will discuss what initiative is and what it means to employers. It gives tips on how to take initiative. It will also discuss the barriers when taking initiative and how to overcome them, said Jordan Scribner, director of Business Career and Transfer Student Services. Scribner said the workshops also will include a lot of personal life lessons from Miller. Miller will give real-life examples
based on practical experience. “I try to do a really good job at bringing the realness into the workshop but not just presenting all this material and making it sound like ‘I’ve got this whole thing together, and I know how to do it,’ but ‘’here’s why it’s important, and here’s what happened, and how I worked through it,”Miller said. Miller said that they have been hosting events virtually during COVID and saw a significant increase in attendance since. “When we were doing the work-
shops in person, we, on a good day, were having maybe three to five students attend. With putting them virtually, we’ll easily have a lot of times 20 to 30 students attending,” she said. In order to receive STLR credit, students need to show up on time and keep their camera on throughout the presentation. They will also need to complete a form after the presentation.To learn more, students may contact the college of business student success center via email at cbsuccess@ uco.edu.
Sports
Sept. 21, 2021
The Vista | 7
Bronchos D tries but can’t save day for UCO Jaden Ford
Contributing Writer
Oklahoma fell at home to Missouri Southern State University State Saturday night at Wantland Stadium in a low-scoring game that went down to the final possession. Missouri Southern won,14-10, after a late touchdown put them ahead with 41 seconds to play in the fourth quarter. The Bronchos defense played another great game, only giving up the one touchdown. UCO defensive lineman Michael Slater finished the game with five tackles and a sack helping the Bronchos hold the Lions to 278 total offensive yards. Central Oklahoma’s problems started early. On their first drive of the game quarterback Stephon Brown threw a pick-six to Missouri Southern defensive back Dylan Bolden. Following the early interception,both teams settled for punts until the Bronchos first possession in the second quarter. Running back Tucker Pawley scored on a 19-yard touchdown run that capped off a 10-play 66-yard drive that tied the game at 7 with 8:44 left in the fourth quarter. With four minutes to go in the second quarter, Missouri Southern QB Dawson Herl threw to wide receiver Jaedon Stoshak who then fumbles on their own 27-yard line. The fumble was recovered by UCO’s Slater. On the following drive, UCO moved the ball but settled for a 26-yard field goal made by Alex Quevedo, giving Central the slight 10-7 lead going into halftime. With 10:42 to go in the third quar-
UCO defensive lineman Noah West goes after Missouri Southern quarterback Dawson Herl. The Bronchos defense kept the game against the Lions close before falling 14-10 to Missouri Southern on Saturday at Wantland Stadium. (Provided/UCO Photo Services)
ter, Brown fumbled at the Missouri Southern 10-yard line, and Missouri Southern DB Jerrod Alton recovered it. On the next drive, the Lions punted. The Bronchos were in the lead until Herl threw a 54-yard TD pass to wide receiver Brian Boyd on fourthand 3 to take the lead 14-10 with 41 seconds left in the game. On the following possession, Brown threw an interception to Missouri Southern defensive back Dylan Bolden, effectively ending the Bronchos hopes. The Bronchos are back on the road for a Week 4 matchup against Northwest Missouri State University.
UCO quarterback Stephon Brown is grabbed by Missouri Southern linebacker Colton Winder in Saturday’s loss to the Lions at Wantland Stadium. Brown threw two interceptions and was sacked twice by Missouri Southern. (Provided/UCO Photo Services)
Top Oklahoma Esports players come back to coach gaming at Central Lyric Peterson Copy Editor
UCO CO-OP Gaming Arena, a multi-million dollar facility, home to the Edmond and OKC gaming community, has two new head coaches. This is the first time UCO has designated gaming staff for the Esports club “The newly created coach positions directly oversee practice and competition, centralizing team leadership across campus esports,” Matt Knuston, adviser for Central Gaming Community student organization, said. According to the coaches, they have big goals for their players. “I’m looking to streamline all of our management and take some of the load off of the students who essentially worked for free,” Ty Wallace, UCO Esports coach, said. “I also want to make UCO a top name in Esports.”
“Our goal is to bring on new players for the year, get them on our rosters, and in chairs so they can start practicing and building team cohesion,” Ben Staudt, UCO Esports coach, said. “Part of what we are doing behind the scenes includes getting language for scholarships as well as a student handbook for esports drafted and approved.” Wallace and Staudt were hired this summer after they graduated to fulfill paid leadership roles in gaming. “Myself and a few other students in leadership positions were concerned last spring that since there were no dedicated faculty or staff in esports,” Staudt said. “They’re important roles that we felt were necessary to continue to grow the program year-over-year, and since we have had a personal investment in the program to date, it was
a no-brainer that some of us stepped in to apply for these positions.” Although there were classes last year, the Esports Media Minor officially became an extension of the Mass Communications department this fall. The idea of the minor came from a student. “Several years ago when the esports student organization really took off, the president happened to be a Strategic Communications major,” Mary Carver, associate professor and Chair, said. “He approached me with the idea of a minor since so much of what we teach in Mass Comm relates to the production of esports events.” “[The Esports Media Minor] combines elements traditionally found in Professional Media as well as Strategic Communications,” Carver said. Matt Knutson, faculty adviser for
the Esports Media Minor, said, “I expect the program here, including the minor, the competitive profile of the school, the programming at the CoOp, and the student org, to grow. “I’m currently working on recruitment efforts to bring in more students from around the metro area to come to UCO as players, participants and students in the minor.” Wallace, who graduated from the Mass Communication department at UCO in the 2021 spring semester, was voted by club members as “Most likely to go pro” and is in the top 500 players in Overwatch in North America. Staudt graduated this summer from the music department. Before graduating, he became a Top 5 Super Smash Brothers player in Oklahoma and held the title of Game Captain for UCO two years running.
8 | The Vista
Sept. 21, 2021
Editorial
Oklahoma will be next to outlaw abortion OPINION Madalyn Nix Editor-in-Chief
On Sept. 1, Senate Bill 8 went into effect in Texas, which bans abortions at any point after six weeks of pregnancy. There are no exceptions for victims of rape or incest. Most women do not know they are pregnant at six weeks of pregnancy. Doctors ask numerous questions to narrow down the conception date of a pregnancy to determine how far along a pregnant woman is. However, unless a pregnant woman is certain of her conception date, there is no absolute certainty of determining someone to be at least six weeks pregnant. What’s happening in Texas is dangerous. This law is not going to stop abortions from happening. It’s just going to make them unsafe. Women will be forced to leave the state to look for safe, sanitary, and professional reproductive healthcare services. Unfortunately, for those women who feel they do not have any other options, they could take matters into their own hands and risk their own lives in the process. After fifty years of fighting for a woman’s right to make decisions about her own body, Texas decided to turn back the clock. Other states will soon follow Texas’ blueprint of personal choice being the most important liberty guaranteed under the Constitution, except when it comes to women making decisions for themselves about their own bodies. According to a report from The Texas Tribune, the Texas law prohibits abortions once an ultrasound detects a fetal “heartbeat.” Using the term “heartbeat,” according to medical and legal experts, is “misleading because embryos don’t possess a heart at that developmental stage.” In an attempt to block this bill that
In this Sept. 1, 2021, file photo, Jillian Dworin participates in a protest against the six-week abortion ban at the Capitol in Austin, Texas. (Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman via AP, File)
was signed into law by Gov. Greg Abbott on May 19, Texas abortion providers asked for an emergency appeal from the U.S. Supreme Court, but the highest court of the country did not respond before midnight. Later that day, in a 5-4 vote, the Supreme Court declined to block the law. According to a report from NBC News, the abortion providers’ arguments “did not adequately address ‘complex and novel’ procedural questions presented by the case.” This law also gives citizens the ability to sue anyone who assists a pregnant person seeking to obtain an abortion. For example, the Uber driver who drives a pregnant person to an abortion service location could be sued. On Sept. 3, Uber and Lyft said they would cover the legal fees of drivers who are sued for driving passengers to outlawed healthcare procedures.
“Riders never have to justify, or even share, where they are going and why,” Lyft wrote in a statement. “Imagine being a pregnant woman trying to get a healthcare appointment and not knowing if your driver will cancel on you for fear of breaking a law. Both are completely unacceptable.” Dr. Maureen G. Phipps, chief executive officer of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and Dr. Eugene Toy, chair of ACOG District XI (Texas), said in a response statement: “Clinicians should be able to provide patient-centered, evidence-based care and counsel, and patients should be able to access the care and information they need without fear of retribution.” Oklahoma has five new abortion laws going into effect on Nov. 1: HB 2441, 1102, 1904, SB 918, 778, and
779. All of these take the choice away from women or menstruating people seeking safe, reproductive healthcare. Reproductive rights activists have filed a lawsuit against these bills, citing that they violate a woman’s constitutional right to seek an abortion. According to the preliminary statement in the court document, it says, “Every woman in this country has a constitutionally protected right to choose whether to terminate her pregnancy before viability.” As a result of these laws being passed, Roe v. Wade is in danger of being overturned. Oklahoma is the next state to try to overturn a constitutional ruling, but it will not be the last. As of today, there is still abortion access in Oklahoma for those seeking services. Visit www.plannedparenthood.org for more information, resources, and assistance.