Nearly all abortions in Tennessee are now illegal. Thursday, Aug. 25, is the date Tennessee’s full abortion ban — called the Human Life Protection Act — takes effect.
Thursday afternoon, doctors, politicians and protesters gathered on the steps of Nashville’s courthouse to speak out against the ban.
Doctors that provide abortions, even in life-saving scenarios, could be charged with a felony. A narrow clause that allows an abortion to protect the “life of the mother” could be used by physicians to defend themselves from prosecution. But only after they are charged will they have the chance to prove the procedure was medically necessary. That’s creating a lot of fear in the medical community.
Doctors say Tennessee’s new law will prevent them from providing life saving care. “As physicians fear felonies, patients could die.” pic.twitter.com/6W4aRljpVb
— Paige Southwick Pfleger (@PaigePfleger) August 25, 2022
Doctor after doctor stepped up to the microphone at the gathering downtown. Physicians like Amy Bono worry the law will lead to patient deaths, and want Gov. Bill Lee to know that.
“You will have blood on your hands,” Bono said.
Paige Pfleger WPLN NewsAmy Bono addresses the crowd gathered outside of Nashville’s courthouse on Thursday, Aug. 25.
Paige Pfleger WPLN NewsDr. Deva Sharma, who is pregnant, was one of the medical doctors who spoke in favor of choice of termination for pregnant people at the gathering in downtown Nashville on Aug. 25.
Dr. Deva Scharma was in the crowd, wearing her white coat and sporting a baby bump. She’s 37 weeks pregnant.
“Because of the length of my medical training, I had all my kids sort of later, at advanced maternal age,” Scharma said. “Having a choice was so important in each of my pregnancies, and I wish and want that for every woman in Tennessee.”
Scharma said if something were to go wrong with her pregnancy, she’d be able to get out of state to get care. But she fears for some of her patients who won’t have that same option.
There’s no exception
The law is one of the most restrictive in the nation. As written, Tennessee’s law contains no exceptions for victims of rape, incest or underage minors.
Paige Pfleger WPLN NewsRep. Gloria Johnson, D-Knoxville, was in attendance at the rally in downtown Nashville on Aug. 25.
When it was originally introduced in 2019, the bill’s sponsors told lawmakers it did include an exception for the life of the pregnant person. Democratic Rep. Gloria Johnson voted against the bill in 2019, and was at the protest Thursday.
“We needed an exception,” Johnson said. “Folks on the House floor were told there was an exception. Tennesseans and those on the floor were lied to.”
Johnson is one of many calling for a special session to amend the law and include an actual exception for the life of the pregnant person. She wonders if the legislature waits until the next session in January, Tennesseans may die in the meantime as a result.
The days leading up to Aug. 25
Most clinics across the state had already ceased abortion services, some within just a few days after the Supreme Court announced its decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.
That initial decision created a domino effect in Tennessee, which has, confusingly, two laws restricting the procedure. The first to take effect banned abortions after six weeks of gestation, before many people know they are pregnant. The second extends that ban to conception.
Only one clinic, Carafem in Mt. Juliet, had continued to offer abortions throughout the summer. Most providers, including Planned Parenthood, have begun helping patients find providers out of state.
More: For now, Tennessee residents needing abortions will have to travel as far as St. Louis or Chicago
The anti-abortion movement continues
Even though abortions are basically illegal, protesters gathered outside the Nashville area clinics Thursday. Scott Hord explained why he was still camped out at Planned Parenthood, even though the clinic is sending patients out of state.
“We can still meet those people here in the parking lot and talk them out of an abortion and reject the referral,” he said.
Hord says the fight’s not done and he may be spending more time on what he calls “the new front line” in Illinois.
Anti-abortion activists are still doing their thing outside the Planned Parenthood clinic in Nashville, even though it hasn’t performed abortions in two months and they are now outlawed almost entirely. Clinic escorts are still trying to keep them from hassling patients. pic.twitter.com/UNPOX6FkOo
— Blake Farmer (@flakebarmer) August 25, 2022
The Planned Parenthood volunteers were still out in force too. In her official rainbow vest, Andrea Hewitt worked to shield patients from folks like Hord on Thursday.
“I’m not going to give up,” Hewitt said. “Because if everyone gives up, then nothing changes.”
In the meantime, crisis pregnancy centers are expecting an influx. But the one in Old Hickory was rather quiet Thursday. Lisa Cathcart is the director.
“We know you feel like you have no options,” Cathcart said. “But I don’t know that it’s going to be like snap your fingers and people are beating down the door.”
Still, Cathcart says she knows there are many pregnant people who now feel trapped.
Blake Farmer WPLN NewsAt a crisis pregnancy center in Old Hickory, a volunteer folds donated baby clothes. The center provides assistance to pregnant people and new moms. It offers self pregnancy tests and peer counseling, though the center is not licensed as a medical facility.
WPLN’s reporters will be on the ground today reporting on what Day One of the full ban looks and sounds like from both sides of the divide. Check back for updates.
Update: This post has been updated to include information from the Thursday afternoon rally in Nashville, the Planned Parenthood and crisis pregnancy center in Old Hickory.
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