From 2011 to 2013, state legislatures across the country passed hundreds of abortion restrictions, which reproductive rights advocates refer to as “TRAP laws.” That stands for Targeted Regulation of Abortion Providers.
Lady Parts Justice (and a number of partnering organizations) will screen Trapped, a documentary showcasing the negative effect of TRAP laws at clinics across the U.S., on Tuesday, May 24th at 7 p.m. at Malco Studio on the Square. The screening is free, but a ticket is required.
TRAP laws have been enacted in 11 states, but Southern clinics have been hit the hardest. Two Tennessee clinics are in danger of closing due to ambulatory surgical center laws, which require clinics to meet a specific list of building, medical, staff, and inspection regulations. But they’re awaiting the outcome of a U.S. Supreme Court case involving similar laws in Texas. In that state, less than half of the clinics that were open in 2013 are still open today, thanks to Texas TRAP laws. Only one clinic is left in the entire state of Mississippi.
“Abortion is like any other procedure. It’s safer than getting your wisdom teeth or tonsils taken out,” said Leah Ford with Planned Parenthood Greater Memphis Region, another sponsor of the local Trapped screening.
Here’s a description of Trapped from the event’s Facebook page:
“Trapped interweaves the personal stories behind these regulatory battles: from the physician who crisscrosses the country assuring medical services are available; to the strong women and men who run the clinics; to the lawyers leading the legal charge to eliminate these laws; to the women they are all determined to help. In this feature-length, character-driven film, our main characters fight alongside a dedicated cadre of attorneys to preserve abortion rights in a country living with the mistaken belief that Roe v. Wade still protects a woman’s right to choose.”
