At yesterday’s Maryland U.S. Senate Democratic debate forum, I misspoke at one point and said I was “pro-life” when I meant to say “pro-choice.” I am absolutely 110% pro-choice, and did clarify this later in the debate, exclaiming “Keep the damn patriarchy’s hands out of the womb!” I will elaborate more on this policy position later, but for me, even though there are many difficult moral and ethical considerations when it comes to abortion, no government institution should come between the decisions made between a mother and family on one side and her/their chosen doctors and medical specialists on the other (insurance and costs are a whole other matter that does require government regulation). Furthermore, as women are supposed to be treated as equal citizens, I would argue one could look at constitutional equal protection issues in having government take a paternal, patriarchal approach to women exercising their full autonomy on reproductive rights as equal citizens. But in the end, Republican positions on reproductive rights and abortion are ridiculous, hypocritical, and gross violation of the rights of American women and families. Mothers, their partners if any, and their doctors are the qualified parties to decide how to handle pregnancy, birth, and reproductive health, not partisan legislators with agendas not based on medical science or ethics, nor the best interests of the mother.