Want a child? Better get married…

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This entry was published at least two years ago (originally posted on October 5, 2005). Since that time the information may have become outdated or my beliefs may have changed (in general, assume a more open and liberal current viewpoint). A fuller disclaimer is available.

If this passes, I may want to stop admitting that, though I grew up in Alaska, I was born in Indiana…and most of my extended family on my dad’s side is still there.

Indiana Republicans are working on a bill that will make it so that only legally married women will be allowed to reproduce.

Republican lawmakers are drafting new legislation that will make marriage a requirement for  motherhood in the state of Indiana, including specific criminal penalties for unmarried women who do become pregnant “by means other than sexual intercourse.”

As Terrance points out:

You better believe gays and lesbians seeking to have children via artificial insemination, surrogacy, etc., will stopped in their tracks by this law.

What I don’t understand is why the law only addresses motherhood. Why isn’t it a class B felony under this law for a man to engage in “unauthorized reproduction”? You don’t have to read The Handmaid’s Tale to envision what these folks have in store.

Just horrendous. This needs to get stopped, as soon as possible.

(via Terrance and Boing Boing)

Update: The bill has been yanked.

A controversial proposed bill to prohibit gays, lesbians and single people from using medical procedures to become pregnant has been dropped by its legislative sponsor.

State Sen. Patricia Miller, R-Indianapolis, issued a one-sentence statement this afternoon saying: “The issue has become more complex than anticipated and will be withdrawn from consideration by the Health Finance Commission.”

Heh — “more complex than anticipated.” In other words, she realized that word had gotten out just how insane this was.

4 thoughts on “Want a child? Better get married…”

  2. I’d stick with Alaska over Indiana no matter what comes of this decision… It just sounds more adventurous/mysterious to us lower 48’ers.

  3. I agree this is sick and the sponsors of the bill would be more at home in third reich than Indiana. However, a bill like this would be so blatantly unconstitutional, I can’t imagine it standing up to any level of judicial scrutiny. In any event, if it even passes, you wont see me setting foot in Indiana ever again.

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