Preaching Personhood: The Politics of Ignoring People in the Present

Kelley Fox and Rev. Terry Williams address the irony of so-called “personhood laws” that claim to support a moral agenda while actually stripping citizens of bodily autonomy and reproductive freedom. Addressing the immorality of elevating the state-dictated privilege of zygotes above the constitutional rights of pregnant persons, this episode dives into the religious manipulation that underlies legal personhood strategies as used by anti-abortion lobbyists and ideologues. Taking Ohio as a model case, Kelley and Rev. Terry detail how special interest groups and the politicians in their pockets push personhood for embryos while ignoring the basic demands of living, breathing children and adults in unholy and altogether dangerous ways. Links to discussed content:

• Ohio Lawmakers reintroduce Fetal Personal Bill: https://ohiocapitaljournal.com/2025/10/08/ohio-republican-lawmakers-look-to-regulate-abortion-push-against-constitutional-amendment/
• Ohio GOP anti-abortion politics resurface at Statehouse after a few years in retreat: https://signalohio.org/ohio-gop-anti-abortion-politics-resurface-at-statehouse/
• House Bill 370: www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/136/hb370/documents
• HB 370 Text: https://search-prod.lis.state.oh.us/api/v2/general_assembly_136/legislation/hb370/00_IN/pdf/
• When Fetuses Gain Personhood: Understanding the Impact on IVF, Contraception, Medical Treatment, Criminal Law, Child Support, and Beyond: www.pregnancyjusticeus.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/fetal-personhood-with-appendix-UPDATED-1.pdf
• Ohio's Largest Bribery Scheme: www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/07/22/ohio-house-speaker-arrested-republican/
• How 'fetal personhood' in Alabama's IVF ruling evolved from fringe to mainstream: www.npr.org/2024/03/14/1238102768/fetal-personhood-alabama-ivf
• Killing the Black Body, by Dorothy Roberts: www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/155575/killing-the-black-body-by-dorothy-roberts/
• Personhood Measures Issue Brief: www.acog.org/advocacy/abortion-is-essential/trending-issues/issue-brief-personhood-measures
• Kipling, the 'White Man's Burden,' and U.S. Imperialism: https://monthlyreview.org/articles/kipling-the-white-mans-burden-and-u-s-imperialism/

Music by Korbin Jones