This is the same country with no maternity or paternity pay, no mandated paid leave, sick pay, low minimum wage, no free access to contraception or healthcare. However, controlling women's bodies and banning books is priority? American freedom!!!! Priorities people, priorities.

How to tell Russel is being deadly serious: When he looks annoyed that he can't make his point because the audience is still cheering at the previous one.

Thank you for highlighting what that senator said. When I was pregnant, I wanted a child but still struggled with feeling like I was just a vessel, a host. I lost a lot of my sense of identity, and I wanted my child. For a woman who had to deal with sexual assault to then be forced to carry the child. My pregnancy almost killed me and my baby. Some states have said they won't stop the pregnancy even if life is at risk. If a woman has an abortion her and the person who performed the abortion will be tried for murder. They investigate late miscarriages and charge the women if they doubt the legitimacy!!! I can't imagine how distressing a late term miscarriage is but to then have to go through investigation. Where is the bloody compassion for the women? This law is abhorrent and so wrong. If you want to disagree with it, fine but don't force others to follow it. This isn't what most Americans want, it's what the evangelical and catholic extremists want.

It’s all quite sickening how far they’ve gone. Dark ages mentality.

George Carlin said it best..."if your anti-abortion then your anti-women"

It’s very America when abortion is a more urgent problem to deal with than sincerely needed gun control.

I say, can you even IMAGINE if women told men they MUST get vasectomies? Especially if they didn't want one? Or if we decided pierced penises looked amazing so we told you all you MUST do that? Hell, I could go on and on. If women got to tell men they MUST do anything, men would flip shit! 🙄🤨

Unwanted pregnancy is traumatic no matter how it started.

Any country that bans abortions should also ban the sale/prescription of drugs like Viagra.

If Russell ran for Prime Minister of the UK, I'd give him as much support as I could.

As an American living in UK I never want to go back. Worked here, earned a pension here, bought my own home here. I like my universal health care and being able to go to a shopping centre without fear of getting shot.

You, sir, are the template for modern masculinity. Smart, funny, insightful and, best of all, an excellent wordsmith. Thanks mate.

Thank you Russell. I'm from Minnesota and even though I'm in a blue state, I'm terrified. This is going to hurt or kill so many women. I wish the UN would require any country that wants to continue to participate to guarantee women's rights.

How some call it the greatest country in the world is absolutely boggling. It's an embarrassment. In education, in health care, in safety in almost every important aspect of a country. It's the blight on the planet.

American lawmakers should start caring more about the lives already born than those which haven't...

Russell, you are such a great man. I wish there were more men out here like you, especially in the US government. I'm an FtM man, and the idea of possible pregnancy for me is the most terrifying thing I can imagine. For me it would only be possible from r*pe, but that's not the point. A person can use protection or not, an unwanted pregnancy is an unwanted pregnancy. No one should be forced to carry to term if they don't want to. The person who impregnated the person is just as liable for the pregnancy, yet there seems to be no consequence for that person. Thank you for always standing up for womens rights and trans rights. You're a truly wonderful human.

The grip from old men in power on a society that wants to progress is utterly scary. Look at the regress we've seen in the last decade. Corruption is exploded, human rights are being contested by countries that have fought for them. If a new and open minded generation doesn't take control soon, society will never recover.

Every woman deserves the choice of an abortion. Her body, her rules. Why is that so hard for people to accept? What do these men (and let's face it a lot of women too) get out of women not aborting? I'm genuinely curious

Legal access to safe abortion literally saved my life. Trying to have a child nearly killed me. I will never stop defending my own life first and foremost. How people judge without knowing our situations is truly unChristian, disgusting and shameful. The trauma that I've already dealt with from almost dying is enough, let alone the judgment of ignorant people who want to throw stones and demonize a very private situation involving my body parts and MY waking consciousness, trying to make me less than a dog to value what still could die even if I were to miraculously survive throwing up every 2 minutes and losing 20lbs a week with trips to the ER every day for dehydration and several IV bags, begging for my life. Why is my right to life less than my child's because of some other persons emotional beliefs? The fact is, if I died, they would have died too. Is that a better option? Do you judgers feel good about making a person feel terrible for choosing to life through extreme trauma? I will pray this disgusting insane judgement ends and all people with uteruses who are alive and breathing can make decisions for their own right to life BEFORE someone else who is not suffering what they are, and their life be truly valued for the individual they are and not just an oven for a potential life that some people's beliefs make them prioritize with sentimental emotional choices over facts. If a heartbeat means something, then mine counts. Who is to say anyone else's life gets to be valued over and destroy my chance of already being alive here. If that is true then we'd be the same as China, harvesting organs from those we disagree with. Child abusing republican like my abuser? Go to the education camp where your heart is less valued than mine so I can have it transplanted when I need it because my life is more important than yours and my life depends on your heart. Now sterilize your family for hearing your beliefs, they might pass it on. See how far this goes? Only creates more trauma, abuse, suffering and death to force women to be used as birth slaves. Completely wrong and the opposite of what forced birth anti choice pro woman deathers want. Oh wait or is it, they want women to be left single burdened with children that they harm from being unwanted, Foster homes full to the brim, juvenile delinquency and absent fathers, suffering and dying mothers and children. That's where this unconstitutional ban and immoral whacky emotional hive mind is heading deeper into. And I'm pretty fin sure none of you pro lifers gave a hoot about actual children who suffered like me. Just blame me and call me names for "acting up" while my father beat my mother in front of me. I don't think any anti choice judgers could man up and do the right thing, take responsibility and be a real parent, apologize for the damage you cause everyone including to your own children, stop throwing stones at people first, pointing fingers, and see how you're not helping this situation at all. Least of all with the compassion and understanding Jesus expects of you. I'm not perfect so I'm going to admit it's hard to not be angry at people attacking me and all the others (at least 10% of pregnant people) for choosing not to die over the 2% chance that my child might live if I took birth defecting life damaging, possibly carcinogenic drugs to prevent my own death and theirs. Yay we both live a few months longer to suffer and die together because the drug stopped working and now it's 8 weeks so it's too late to save my life! Pro life saved a life by killing two! /Sarcasm

As someone watching from the UK with many friends in the US, I honestly just want to cry for what America is becoming, thanks to the lunatics in Congress who have WAY too much power now. It is literally morphing into Gilead.

Russell, thank you for shouting this from the rooftops. I’m in Virginia. I’m a grandmother, and I think this is AWFUL. It’s scary. What’s next?

That thing about to wearing shorts under skirts has been going on in American schools for decades. Plus, girls and young women in certain schools are told that they have to wear a skirt--even in freezing temperatures. Some schools let them wear pants beneath their skirt, but not all...They also get blamed or ignored if a boy makes fun of them for their period (I mean, surely a 12-year-old girl should be able to hide their very first period despite it usually coming unexpectedly, right? *eyeroll*)......As an American, I can honestly say that America's always been in the dark ages. Social media just makes it more obvious.

Does it come under "irony" when comedians speak more truth and honesty than politicians do? When it comes to abortion the conversation should be between the woman and her doctor. No one else.

Speaking of returning to medieval times; I saw a woman holding a sign at a rally, that read " He who hath not a uterus should shuteth the fuck up"😀

It's absolutely shameful. Didn't think they could sink lower than leaving their elderly exposed to a deadly virus for two years.

For a country who hates communism and dictatorship so much they sure do have laws that remind me of Romania back in spring of 1976

Let's just agree that this is an issue that no man should be allowed to vote on.

Thank you for highlighting the absolute craziness of these anti-abortion laws! I live in Maryland, a blue state with lots of protection for abortion, but I'm still terrified about where our country and Supreme Court are headed! I completely agree.. we need much stricter gun laws. I'd be very happy to have restricted laws like the rest of the world

Sooo... You can change a constitutional right if it involves women's bodies, but not when it involves guns. Gotcha.

In Italy and Poland they have similar laws. And pregnant women, who wanted actually the kids, but got complications during the pregnancy, were not helped. Actually died, because of the fetus died inside and this can kill the mother. So this is dangerous even for women who were not planning any abortion

I am a Texan and I live in this backward state and I am appalled. If I wasn’t at the back end of my life I would so be out of here. Pease don’t judge all of us. So sorry to the generations to come.

I really respect Russell for such precision in these jokes about pro-lifers and abortion, which make us laugh whilst highlighting serious cultural issues. That material must have taken so long to write.

Absolutely bloody foul sodding mysoginistic bill. Also, in other news, as a Scottish person I agree with you. I got married in a kilt over 30 years ago. It was blowing a gale. Fred Flintstone boxer shorts since you ask.

The second amendment was written when it took a good marksman 3 to 8 minutes to reload, tamp and prep the gun to shoot a second shot. Not when AK47s were sold without background check. It was also intended for organized militias, and not the average person. As to Abortion, when midwives were doing them and delivering babies, with a much lower rate of post partum infections and deaths, nobody was concerned.

When people say, "I wanna go back to when i was little" this isn't want people meant. With multiple countries removing women's rights despite people fighting for decades to get them is disgusting and makes those sacrifices pointless.

And just when I thought I couldn't love Russell Howard any more.....I do. Thank you Russell on behalf of women everywhere.

Bravo Russell, for speaking out on the issue of women's bodily autonomy!

Thank you SO much, Russell! We’re back to being chattels and other Mens property. We’re blessed to have someone like you in our defence.

There's too many people that really don't understand how dangerous pregnancies can be for women. A small percentage end up with severe sickness and on IV drips like a close friend of mine, who lost about 2-3 stone from constant sickness and was in hospital for 2 months. Pregnancy aside, giving birth isn't always straightforward and can cause serious issues. The last point is simple, who are you to tell anyone else what they can or can't do with their body?

So appreciate you covering this Russell, can’t quite believe we’re going backwards on abortion & that it’s men running it😥😡 Coming from Ireland & growing up in the 1970’s, I was so relieved to come to UK, free contraception & abortion if you needed it. Take it from me, getting an abortion for almost all women, is not an easy or “great” choice, it’s something thought about deeply & needing to do it for many reasons.

Here is an interesting original thought: How about letting women decide for themselves?🤔

I’m grieving the loss of woman’s rights in America, (I’m not American) it’s heartbreaking to hear plus it’s scary to think of countries going backwards like this because you worry that it might tend in your own country.

I thought 'the Handmaid's tale' was fiction. But it turns out it may just be a documetary from a near future.

Well said Russell. I am an American and I am ashamed at what my country is becoming.

Yaasss, he's back🧡 Correction: this is actually an old clip. But, doesn't matter, any Russell content is worth it.

The USA, proudly marching back to the 18th century.

Here's some info for non-us people. In the U.S., the average cost of a vaginal birth is $13,024, including standard predelivery and postdelivery expenses such as facility fees and doctor fees. A cesarean section (C-section) is much more expensive, costing an average of $22,646 including standard predelivery and postdelivery expenses. As of Feb 28, 2022. Now imagine having to have a kid you didnt want because of these laws. Now what if you are living pay check to pay check. That's over a $10,000 dollar bill. What could you do? I think these laws will cause a lot of people to self harm. 😔

The guy that made that law should have been aborted. Bet he wouldn’t have done that if his wife got pregnant through rape. With insanely stupid laws like that, I don’t now how you can call yourself the land of the free when clearly that’s not the case.

as a possible father to an unborn "child", I would like an imput to the possible future, but at the end of the day, its an opinion, not my body, not my bloody say! Always religious people, always men forcing their views of this on women who go through it! Disgusting.

So..they appear to be forcing women to carry full term, then bill them 10 or more thousand dollars for medical and hospital fees??? Really?

What the ever loving heck, America! That's terrifying. That utter horror better not creep its self over to Canada...

Thanx Russell for bringing laughter during these horrific changes coming about in the U.S. I'm grateful, at least for now, that I live in California. Many other states are going back to the stone age 😡

I’ve seen it even on Instagram people referring to pregnant women as a host. It’s sick.

I dont think America realises how poorly they are regarded by people in the Western World. Its bordering on contemptuous. Al Murray asked his audience to describe nationalities in two words - America was described as fat and stupid. No smoke without fire and they do have the highest levels of obesity in the World. Now look at what Texans are doing! Seems like, "I rest my case your Honour."

American woman here. Thanks for caring about us over here, it is actually a comforting feeling, 💛 Russell Howard! You make me laugh lots. :) Apoplectic as many of us are now it’s harder to find mirth.. 🥺 We have a higher likelihood of dying from pregnancy here as you may know, especially women of color and any who are socioeconomically disadvantaged (of whom there are tragically a massive number). All of our lives are threatened by the myriad harmful outcomes. Anyone who becomes a parent is then legally responsible to provide financial support, and care, and any people who are not in a position to afford this will be more at risk of being prosecuted and jailed. Here in America, the profiteers running our prison industrial system have no problem with jailing mothers for even very minor infractions and without competent legal representation; they are at the mercy of the backwards and often racist courts. Though it’s not discussed very much, men aren’t excepted in loss of choice and agency : paternal obligations & bills that are owed are also subject to our oppressive laws, pay-to-win courts, racist sentencing and excessive prison terms. And our prisons are inhumane facilities in which no human being should be forced to subsist. So, the heartbeats these draconian fascists “care” about are not those of anyone who has been born. We are trapped in a usurious cycle of cruelty here. It is slavery being reinstated, and it’s a sickness we’ve never truly been cured of; this new assault on our people is truly a hate crime against the masses. The terror and exponential harm this is inflicting cannot be overstated. We are not living in a free country. Never been free for all people and now it is Equally Unjust for All. The wealthy and demented rulers have the upper hand as of today. I am, we are, in desolation. But we want to take our collective power back so... here’s hoping we can truly overcome. !!! 🤝 Appreciate any and all support from our progressive friends abroad. 💙

Thanks for talking about this. It does affect the entire world. Just wait til “they” see what this does to the (horribly overtaxed) foster care system in the US.

The same country the raised the smoking and vaping age to 21, also has some states with laws that come out of a children’s book, or a cartoon.

As far as the school shorts rule goes, it's always easier to make the victim change something rather than the perpetrator. Take bullying in schools, most often any action taken to try to stop the bullying focuses on the victims. For example, the victim is most often the one who has to change school start/finish times, stay inside at breaks or even change school.

The fact that the "host body" has to "have a certain amount of rights" has nothing to do with the "host body" herself, it's entirely due to the life that she is "hosting". "America has real problems with guns, drugs, crime, and a thousand other thins, but let's distract people be dehumanising and degrading women - even more than we have already" I thought slavery had been abolished in the USA. As long as women are not free to make informed decisions about their own bodies, they are not free. They are owned by whoever feels that they have the right to make decisions for their property.

Omg I'm really shocked about girls being told to wear shorts underneath their school skirts, When I was at school,we were banned from wearing cycling shorts underneath our skirts for health reasons- we actually laughed at this😂 but it can actually cause thrush 😮

The more we talk about it, the more they have to listen to the American people. It's OUR RIGHT FOR FREEDOM Of CHOICE!!!!!

Russell, your Mom and Dad must be so very proud of the man you are. Bravo!

I'm waiting for Russell to tell jokes about a US Supreme Court justice citing, very specifically, a British judge from centuries ago who spent his time burning innocent old women for not having husbands ... err, I mean, being witches.

conservatives: what if sharia law comes to Wisconsin?? The president is a secret Muslim trying to bring their religious rule here! Wouldn't that kind of oppression be awful?! Also conservatives: Everyone should have to live by our religion or else!!

I live in MD which is a very blue state thank god and even though our Governor is republican he would never 👎 approve of this insanity. These ppl think they have Trump power

Thank you, Russ. The leaked SCOTUS opinion this week has us terrified.

I guess rusty coat hangers and stairs come into fashion again after all. Utterly disgusting. This is the thing about these kind of laws. The same with drugs. It will always happen. The government can only regulate how, not whether it happens.

As a woman if I lived the united states I would be getting a hysterectomy right now, before they make that illegal or before they start forcing women to become handmaids.

Sad times. We'll get through it. Russell helps ❤🌈☀

How can you be pro-life and pro-gun at the same time? A *gun* with a bullet in it, can take a *life* 🤔🤔🤔

Thank You Russell! Love everything you do! I have watched stuff from you, that is 5-6 years old, and it's still relevant today! Some even seem like they were made yesterday!:)

Thank you, Russell. This is brilliant and prescient and tragic (with humor, of course). The US has such potential, but sadly continues to be dragged back into the past by the white conservative minority. Of course, when we look at our history - the repression of native peoples and the enslavement/repression of African Americans - it's easy to see why conservatives want to ban books that actually educate and illustrate our racist history. Maybe, just maybe the current supreme court's ignorance and arrogance will be the kick in the ass and the slap in the face that we need to stop being so complacent and to stop the destruction of our precious democracy.

Liked, commented and subscribed my friend. Thank you for speaking out against this radical bigotry, misogyny and oppression.

I’m 28, I’m a co dog parent, a plant parent, casually date and I’m a lesbian. I’m pro choice My childhood friend has 3 kids, she’s pro choice Most of my friends are pro choice and my only guy friend is too. A woman has the right to choose what to do with her body. Many women don’t want kids and that’s fine. We aren’t solely placed on this planet to reproduce. I’m sick of old pensioner white men trying to tell us what to do with OUR bodies

Wish we had a Russell in Canada. 🇨🇦

Thank you so much for making me laugh for the first time in weeks! 💝

"If only America had a morning-after pill for the election"...If only the U.K. had a morning-after pill for Brexit...🤭

On top of making women have babies they don't want, Americans also don't have adequate pre or post natal social services. Single moms are pretty much on their own.

Can someone explain how a fetuses has the right to live? When as a child they Don't have the right to vote or buy there own things. As a child your are told what to do by your mum and dad until 18 years old. Also I have read a lot of comments about people blaming those unprotected sex for having abortions. You mean the 5 year old girl raped by you dad? No? Oh you mean the woman who was on birthcontrol while there partner was fixed? No not them either? Huh do you mean the couple who have unprotected sex because they wanted a child only to then find that the female has a serious illness that would kill her and the baby if she continued to have the baby until its full term preventing her from having adopting a child who are abandoned by mothers who couldn't get abortions due to men deciding they know more about a fanny then those who have one. No? not those either, huh... wait do you mean those who have unprotected sex cause they want a baby and can carry them to full term? Yes! Oh phew, glad we got there but wait if they are having unprotected sex cause they want a baby why would they need an abortion? Because they decided they didn't want one anymore? But that is probably like 1% out of the 99% who are getting abortions. You don't agree? Could you explain your reasoning without using the fetuses as a valid point as it doesn't have an legs to stand on. No one likes it but it should be an option for those in need.

Russell Howard for prime minister!!! He’ll change the country in days!

When humour stops being funny and takes a line that the rest of the media seem to want to down play “ in the interests of balance “ etc. this is the end of the enlightenment as we go backwards in outlook and become slaves. Got to keep fighting this shit and calling it out all the time. Nice one Russell

Thank you so much Russel❤️

You are so on the point. Brilliant!

As usual-right on point! You’re awesome 👏🏻

now this is how you educate people , WITH HUMOUR

your humour continues to be both funny, and yet also remains a powerful rebuttal/antidote to the stupidity that has been part of the ethos of the country to the south of me for more than five years! I enjoy your capacity to pick out those moments that reveal the ridiculousness of folk "in power". So long as we are still able to laugh, there is hope for improvement, even though it might remain an election or two away, given the curiously complicated structure of elections in the USofA. There are days when I think the "A" stands for a part of the human anatomy, rather than a proud, strong and free nation.

Nice one bruvva! Spot on. It's awesome that you do great funny comedy and tackle other social and political issues too.

It's just men with nothing better to do trying to police the bodies of other people. Why don't they just mind their own business?

I forgot about that Gillette ad. I think they should have started a dating app that checked socials for how men reacted to it so you can avoid the assholes that got their feelings hurt being told to be decent to women.

Thank you so much Russell 💚

If you weren't from the UK I would vote for you. You make more sense and know more about our laws than probably most of the politicians in our country.

Russell Howard is pure genius. You get the topics perfectly.

Some of these US senators saw The Handmaid's Tale and thought: 'Yes this is exactly what we're going for!'

Thanks Russell, please keep talking about these situations- it helps enormously.

I am heartsick and enraged that my own country is regressing back to the dark ages. I’m ashamed to be an American…🤦🏻‍♀️

Russell has better views than the supreme court.

Ah life’s very easy for comedians just now - but Russell, you’re so deeply appreciated nonetheless ☺️👍🏻😆💕

So can a woman report herself for wanting an abortion, then claim the reward to help with the medical expenses of having a child? 🤔

I'm glad I'm Canadian 🇨🇦 I'm also glad I get to listen to Russell Howard!

I’m so happy I’m not American.