Actor Bette Midler has called on women to protest Texas' strict new abortion laws by refusing to have sex with men until Congress guarantees the right to choose for all women.
The four-time Golden Globe winner took to social media to deliver a searing statement following the introduction of a new anti-abortion law that renders the procedure 'illegal' after six weeks.
Midler tweeted: "I suggest that all women refuse to have sex with men until they are guaranteed the right to choose by Congress."
The law, referred to as SB 8, went into effect on 1 September after being signed off by Texas Governor Greg Abbot in May.
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Under the new rules, the law prohibits abortion once a fetal heartbeat is detected, which usually happens at around six weeks.
Critics have argued passionately against the introduction of the new law, with Planned Parenthood noting that most women don't know they're pregnant at six weeks, and that 85-90 percent of Texans who obtain abortions are at least six weeks into pregnancy.
In addition, private citizens may now sue abortion clinics if they suspect them of performing illegal abortions after the permissible period, including anyone involved in 'aiding' the abortion.
This includes driving someone to a clinic or supporting them with the cost. A successful lawsuit could be awarded a minimum of US $10,000 (£7,200).
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Midler's call to arms has been well received both on-the-ground and online, with numerous high-profile voices coming to her aid. Nancy Sinatra added her voice to the chorus of women chiming in with support, tweeting that her late father Frank 'actually suggested that decades ago'.
In a separate post, Midler continued to speak out against the law, writing: "This isn't about guns, speech, money or war. It's about women, their lives, their bodies, and their autonomy.
"That's what allowed the court to do shoddy work, with careless disregard, because who's going to stop it? They only did the thing in the dead of night, without care or effort, because they believe women are so used to being gaslit that of course, they'll just tolerate it."
Other high-profile voices taking to Twitter to protest the ban include singer Pink, who wrote: "I stand in solidarity with people in (Texas) who, as of today, face an extreme 6-week abortion ban."
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"This ban... will be the blueprint for bans across the US. Unless we do something about it,"
Reese Witherspoon also added her voice to the chorus, using the hastag #BansOffOurBodies to tweet: "I stand with the women of Texas who have the Constitutional right to make decisions about their health and their own bodies."
It's not just celebrities that are taking to social media to voice their disgust at the abortion ban though.
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Elsewhere online, people have been waging guerilla warfare, using online bots and Shrek porn to spam a tip line set up by Texas Right to Life, where users can submit anonymous tips.
Featured Image Credit: PATopics: Texas, US News, abortion
