Taking Viagra and Getting an Abortion Are Not the Same Thing

Iowa State Representative Mary Mascher (D-Iowa City) thought she would be clever when she filed HF 2141 that didn’t make it out of funnel week last week in the Iowa Legislature. The bill placed different requirements on men before they could be prescribed Viagra, Cialis, Levitra or Avanafil for erectile dysfunction.

The Cedar Rapids Gazette reports:

“I didn’t intend for it to become law,” said Mascher, a retired schoolteacher serving her 11th session. “I just wanted to make the point that if men had to jump through all of the hoops women have to go through they would have a fit.”

Among those hoops men would have had to go through, had HF 2141 become law, would be at least one of the patient’s sexual partners being interviewed by the physician to verify that he had experienced symptoms of erectile dysfunction in the previous 90 days; meeting with a mental health professional to determine that the symptoms are not solely attributable to psychological conditions; a stress test to determine the patient’s cardiac health is compatible with sexual activity; and notifying the patient in writing of the potential risks and complications associated with taking drugs to treat erectile dysfunction.

Also, a man would need to have a cardiac stress test every 90 days to get his prescription refilled, and he must attend three sessions of outpatient counseling within six months to ensure he understands the dangerous side effects of drugs intended to treat the symptoms of erectile dysfunction.

“Men would be offended by anything that required them to jump through that many hoops — for something they feel entitled to,” Mascher said.

And they would be right to feel the government was unnecessarily interfering in their life, she added.

Her proposal would infringe on individual rights in the same way as bills offered annually to restrict a woman’s access to abortion, Mascher said. Those bills include requiring women to wait at least 24 hours to obtain an abortion after consulting a doctor, viewing a sonogram of their fetus and receiving counseling about the possible psychological impact of abortion.

Mascher does understand (or at least doesn’t want to admit) that popping viagra and abortion are two entirely different things. Taking viagra doesn’t end life. Abortion does. Viagra doesn’t cut pre-born babies to pieces, abortion does. Cialis doesn’t tear apart a pre-born baby with forceps, abortion does. Levitra doesn’t burn a pre-born baby alive and cause convulsions and brain hemorrhaging, abortion does.

How are these the same? I didn’t realize an innocent life was impacted by a guy seeking help for erectile dysfunction.