Joy Reid draws online support as she labels Missouri abortion laws 'slave state' policies in discussion with Claire McCaskill

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: In a recent segment on MSNBC, Joy Reid made a striking assertion about Missouri's abortion laws, labeling the state as akin to a "slave state" due to its stringent regulations.

Former Missouri Senator Claire McCaskill joined Joy Reid in a scathing critique of the state's policies, with particular emphasis on the severe restrictions placed on abortion access.

Claire McCaskill highlights extreme abortion laws in Missouri

According to Fox News, McCaskill highlighted the extreme nature of Missouri's abortion laws, emphasizing that "all abortions are illegal" in the state with "no exceptions for rape or incest."

She underscored Missouri's status as a "personhood state," where "life begins at conception," effectively shutting down abortion services, including those provided by Planned Parenthood.

Furthermore, McCaskill criticized a recent law prohibiting Medicaid reimbursements to Planned Parenthood, exacerbating the hurdles women face in accessing contraceptives.

Reid intensified the criticism by likening Missouri to a "slave state," asserting that women are treated as the "property" of both their husbands and the state itself.

McCaskill expresses concerns over divorce laws

She raised concerns about the state's divorce laws, highlighting activists' claims that pregnant women struggle to obtain divorces due to judicial reluctance.

While not explicitly banned, "pregnancy is one of the multiple key pieces of information that needs to be presented in a divorce in the state," with judges often hesitating to grant divorces to pregnant women.

Reid argued that such circumstances effectively render women beholden to both their spouses and the state, equating it to a form of slavery.

"This didn’t have to be a show vote. All the Republicans had to do was vote yes," McCaskill said, expressing frustration over Senate Republicans blocking a bill aimed at protecting access to contraceptives for women.

Reid criticizes Missouri's restrictions on abortion and divorce

“You’ve left off, Claire, that in your state it’s illegal for a pregnant woman to get an abortion, so they’ve also gone after no-fault divorce,” Reid said.

“If you’re pregnant and you’re in a marriage with an abusive spouse, you can’t even get a divorce once you get pregnant. You become the property of both your husband and the state. They have joint ownership of you in the state of Missouri. That is a slave state as far as I’m concerned,” Reid added, emphasizing the intersecting issues faced by women in Missouri.

Public reaction: voices echoing concern and outrage

The public response to Joy Reid's and Claire McCaskill's criticism of Missouri's abortion laws varied, encompassing feelings of disbelief, anger, and concern.

One user wrote, "To be fair, Missouri never seceded." Another said, "The Handmaid's Tale went from fiction to dystopian reality. I never would have imagined our country turning into this."

One wrote, "Preventing a pregnant woman from getting a divorce is insane." Another said, "Missouri imposes forced labor on women."

One user replied, "Accurate. You don't criminalize abortion, you criminalize safe abortion."

One commented, "She's not wrong. So long as white conservative men continue to hold women in bondage, the conservative states are nothing more than slave states that view women as mere chattel."

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