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Vol. 75/No. 44      December 5, 2011

 
Antiabortion referendum
defeated in Mississippi
 
BY EMMA JOHNSON  
The so-called “personhood” initiative in Mississippi was voted down November 8 by a margin of 55 to 45 percent, an indication of the broad support for women’s rights. The referendum defined life as beginning at conception, that a “person” includes every human being from the moment of fertilization. It would have totally criminalized abortion and many forms of contraception.

An apparently useless poll just days before the vote showed those in favor of the antiwoman bill to be leading by a narrow margin. The New York Times called the result “one of the biggest surprises” in the November elections. Two months earlier opponents of the law were outpolled by 31 percent.

Planned Parenthood, Mississippi Medical Association, Mississippi Nurses Association, National Advocates for Pregnant Women, Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice, National Organization for Women and the American Civil Liberties Union were among the organizations that campaigned against the initiative.

The main axis of the campaign focused on women’s health and violation of privacy. The direct attack on women’s right to choose abortion was a subdued aspect of the arguments.

Supporters of the initiative have been very clear that it targeted abortion rights and aimed at overturning them. It was filed by Les Riley, head of Personhood Mississippi, and had bipartisan support, including from the recently elected governor, Republican Phil Bryant, and Democratic Attorney General Jim Hood.

Colorado-based Personhood USA will try to place similar initiatives on the ballot in Florida, Montana, Ohio, Oregon, Nevada and California in the 2012 elections. In Colorado “personhood” proposals were rejected in 2008 and 2010.  
 
 
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