MSNBC host Joy Reid has labeled the state of Missouri a “slave state” for women, in the midst of discussions about contraception bills in the U.S. Senate and various states. Speaking with former Missouri Democratic Senator and MSNBC analyst Claire McCaskill, Reid criticized the restrictive stance on women’s “reproductive rights” in Missouri.
McCaskill chimed in, highlighting that all abortions in Missouri are prohibited, without exceptions for rape or incest, following the introduction of the personhood law which defines life as beginning at conception. She commented on how despite performing no abortions, Planned Parenthood had funding cut for providing contraception services.
Reid added to McCaskill’s remarks by pointing out the prohibition on no-fault divorce for pregnant women in Missouri, which she argued made women the “property” of their husbands and the state. McCaskill concurred, noting that initially intended legislation to hold fathers accountable has instead put restrictions on women, trapping them potentially in abusive marriages due to pregnancy.