Women Flooded Twitter with 'Handmaid's Tale' References in Response to the AHCA
"And you thought 'Handmaid's Tale' was just a fictional story."
On Thursday, the House passed the American Health Care Act, the Republicans' plan to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, colloquially known as Obamacare. Not only would the new bill dismantle the ACA's popular protections for Americans with pre-existing conditions, but under the AHCA, pregnancy, postpartum depression, and rape would all qualify as pre-existing conditions.
As The Huffington Post points out, this means that the AHCA (which is still awaiting a vote from the Senate) would leave women especially vulnerable to higher premiums and potential denials of coverage.
This fact wasn't lost on American women, who immediately took to Twitter to point out the chilling similarities between the fears raised by the AHCA and the dystopian world of Hulu's popular adaptation of Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale.
Live from the WH Rose Garden pic.twitter.com/ASW2prWXVaMay 4, 2017
The Handmaid's tale is real. Thanks Paul Ryan. #AHCA #Resistance pic.twitter.com/KqCK2sGqKpMay 4, 2017
BREAKING: Season 2 of 'The Handmaid's Tale' currently filming at the @WhiteHouse. #AHCA pic.twitter.com/kFft11j4opMay 4, 2017
AHCA will directly punish women for their own rape / sexual assault / C-sections. Andddd we're one step closer to the Handmaid's Tale. https://t.co/px9E2fJURNMay 4, 2017
If you're watching Handmaid's tale, you might enjoy this photo of the real life "commanders". #AHCA pic.twitter.com/3Pf2VrlGjoMay 5, 2017
It's like the House of Representatives all watched Handmaid's Tale and said, "Let's do THIS." #AHCAMay 4, 2017
What a world.
Follow Marie Claire on Facebook for the latest celeb news, beauty tips, fascinating reads, livestream video, and more.
Stay In The Know
Get exclusive access to fashion and beauty trends, hot-off-the-press celebrity news, and more.
Kayleigh Roberts is a freelance writer and editor with over 10 years of professional experience covering entertainment of all genres, from new movie and TV releases to nostalgia, and celebrity news. Her byline has appeared in Marie Claire, Cosmopolitan, ELLE, Harper’s Bazaar, The Atlantic, Allure, Entertainment Weekly, MTV, Bustle, Refinery29, Girls’ Life Magazine, Just Jared, and Tiger Beat, among other publications. She's a graduate of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.
-
Revisiting Prince William's Last Working Trip to South Africa With Brother Prince Harry
The Prince of Wales visited Botswana, Lesotho and South Africa in 2010 alongside his estranged brother.
By Danielle Campoamor Published
-
Anne Hathaway Enters Her Goth Girl Era in Monochrome Black Fit
An all-black outfit? For Fall? Groundbreaking.
By Danielle Campoamor Published
-
Martha Stewart Says Ryan Reynolds "Is Not So Funny" in Real Life
"I'm going to get in trouble, he's my neighbor."
By Danielle Campoamor Published
-
36 Ways Women Still Aren't Equal to Men
It's just one of the many ways women still aren't equal to men.
By Brooke Knappenberger Last updated
-
How New York's First Female Governor Plans to Fight for Women If Reelected
Kathy Hochul twice came to power because men resigned amid sexual harassment scandals. Here, how she's leading differently.
By Emily Tisch Sussman Last updated
-
Why the 2022 Midterm Elections Are So Critical
As we blaze through a highly charged midterm election season, Swing Left Executive Director Yasmin Radjy highlights rising stars who are fighting for women’s rights.
By Tanya Benedicto Klich Published
-
Tammy Duckworth: 'I’m Mad as Hell' About the Lack of Federal Action on Gun Safety
The Illinois Senator won't let the memory of the Highland Park shooting just fade away.
By Sen. Tammy Duckworth Published
-
Roe Is Gone. We Have to Keep Fighting.
Democracy always offers a path forward even when we feel thrust into the past.
By Beth Silvers and Sarah Stewart Holland, hosts of Pantsuit Politics Podcast Published
-
The Supreme Court's Mississippi Abortion Rights Case: What to Know
The case could threaten Roe v. Wade.
By Megan DiTrolio Published
-
Sex Trafficking Victims Are Being Punished. A New Law Could Change That.
Victims of sexual abuse are quietly criminalized. Sara's Law protects kids that fight back.
By Dr. Devin J. Buckley and Erin Regan Published
-
My Family and I Live in Navajo Nation. We Don't Have Access to Clean Running Water
"They say that the United States is one of the wealthiest countries in the world. Why are citizens still living with no access to clean water?"
By Amanda L. As Told To Rachel Epstein Published