I Am Zygote, Hear Me Roar

A new generation of anti-abortion activists pushes for laws that define personhood as beginning at conception.

The Daily Beast, November 1, 2009

Paraphrased from the article:

• Kristi Burton Brown's reaction to the failure of Colorado's first "Personhood" Amendment: Optimism
• Amendment 48 triggered a national movement
• "Personhood" taps into a generational shift in the anti-choice movement
• Gualberto Garcia Jones: "We have to do it again here because Colorad was a catalyst for the country."

Even when we personally disagree, Coloradans don't impose their personal beliefs on a woman and her family when they have to make a difficult decision—like whether to have an abortion after surviving a rape. Yet, it seems like every time we turn around there is another debate about "Personhood."

Coloradans defeated "Personhood" amendments twice. We said "NO," and we meant it.

They are back again, and this time the amendment is worse. It specifically punishes victims of rape and incest. Read it for yourself: the language in the amendment says, "no innocent child created through rape or incest shall be killed for the crime of his or her father," which forces women to carry those pregnancies to term.

Learn More About Past Ballot Measures

Amendment 48

Amendment 48 was the first initiative of its kind in the United States.  Voters rejected the so-called "personhood" amendment by a margin of almost 3-1.

Amendment 62

Amendment 62 was the second so-called "personhood" initiative.  This measure appeared on the 2010 ballot and was rejected by Colorado voters as too extreme.