The View has never shied away from its share of controversial subjects, but a new Texas abortion law made for a very “hot topic” and a visibly emotional Sherri Shepherd.
In a law upheld Monday, women will be required to have a sonogram at least 24 hours before the abortion, as well as hear the fetal heartbeats and learn of the fetus’ features. The only exceptions include rape, incest, fetal deformity and for women who travel long distances to a doctor.
Joy Behar called the law “totalitarian,” while Elisabeth Hasselbeck backed the procedure as making common medical sense. She likened it to being informed about a cyst being removed.
“You would never go through any medical procedure like that…without looking at the scientific evidence,” Hasselbeck said. “Why would you ask for an X-ray for those things but not in this case?”
But it was Shepherd’s personal story that put a face to the new law, a face that could easily be anyone’s mother, sister, friend, etc.
“We stop at the picket signs and we don’t help you past that!” Shepherd said. “I’m speaking as a girl who had a lot of abortions and I swear to God, if they had shown me a picture of the fetus I probably wouldn’t have…I would have put my child in a lot of situations that wouldn’t have been good because I didn’t have the mental capacity to deal with having a child. It was real difficult.”
Shepherd also touched on the lack of support for mothers who aren’t ready to have children, the recent attacks on Planned Parenthood and the guidance needed for women who decide to keep their baby after considering an abortion.