Doonesbury is getting blocked by some papers for only the second time in the comic strip’s 40 year syndication, thanks to taking a stance on the same controversial subject: abortion.
This week’s edition of the long-running liberal comic by Gary Trudeau features a woman trying to get an abortion who has to get a mandatory exam with a “10-inch shaming wand,” and wait in the “Shaming Room,” after filling out her forms.
The strip is in response to recent legislation proposed in Virginia and Texas requiring women to get costly ultrasounds before getting abortions. The Portland Oregonian and Gainesville Sun are amongst papers refusing to run the comic, which also happened in 1985 when the comic satirized the film Silent Scream.
Amid the backlash Trudeau gave a very Doonesbury response: “To ignore it would have been comedy malpractice.”
Video produced by Krishnan Vasuvedan
