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- Bette Midler called for women to refuse to have sex as a protest against Texas' new abortion law.
- Midler, 75, suggested the protest hold until Congress guarantees abortion rights.
- The law that bans abortion procedures after six weeks.
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Actress Bette Midler called on women to protest Texas' new abortion law by refusing to have sex.
The "Hocus Pocus" star took to Twitter to criticize the ban and political leaders on Thursday.
"I suggest that all women refuse to have sex with men until they are guaranteed the right to choose by Congress."
-bettemidler (@BetteMidler) September 3, 2021
The law went into effect on September 1 after Texas Gov. Greg Abbot signed the law, known as SB 8, in May. Abortion clinics in the state called on the Supreme Court to block the law before it took effect. They argued that allowing the law to pass would prohibit care for "at least 85% of Texas abortion patients" and cause forced shutdowns.
An emergency injunction application submitted by Texas abortion providers was not addressed by the Supreme Court, resulting in the law pushing forward.
The law prohibits abortion once a fetal heartbeat is detected, which usually happens around six weeks. Critics have argued against the law, with Planned Parenthood noting that most women don't know they're pregnant at six weeks, and 85-90% of Texans who obtain abortions are at least six weeks into pregnancy.
Eric Gay/AP
Following the law's implementation, some companies have distanced themselves from anti-abortion groups. GoDaddy announced that it shut down a site that allowed people to rat out Texans getting an abortion.
Uber and Luft have offered to pay the legal fees of drivers sued under the new law, which allows anyone who transports women to receive an abortion after six weeks of gestation to be sued.
People have used online bots and Shrek porn to spam a tip line set up by Texas Right to Life, where users can submit anonymous tips.