The Politics of the Melanie Stokes Act

See that woman? She was Melanie Stokes, a beautiful woman who would had been one hell of a mother.

What happened?

She developed postpartum psychosis, which is the most extreme version of postpartum depression. She eventually jumped to her death from a Chicago hotel.

Why should this blog talk about her? One, today is BlogHers Act Day in support of the Mothers Act, which is the Senate version of the Melanie Stokes Act which wants to increase funding for research into postpartum depression and create a public awareness campaign. In the House version an anti-choice representative tacked on an amendment that calls for some of the funding to go towards studying depression in women after an abortion.

I go into my personal feelings over at my blog, but here I want to say sometime more simple.

I know that the abortion debate is polarizing, but I just cannot fathom why those who oppose abortion must put this issue into other debates. Instead of rallying around an issue I think most of us (Tom Cruise & friends aside) can agree on, our opposition has to splinter us.

To take action on the Mothers Act bill, click here.

That's it.

technorati tages: depression, abortion, postpartum, Melanie Stokes, Blogher, BlogHers Act