An anonymous member of The Satanic Temple, which is a self-described national atheistic religious group based in Massachusetts, recently sued Texas health officials in federal court.
The plaintiff, who according to the lawsuit lives “at least 100 miles from the nearest abortion clinic” in Houston, is challenging the state’s mandatory sonogram requirement for an abortion, as well as the mandatory 24-hour waiting period following the sonogram.
Lucien Greaves, the co-founder and spokesperson for The Satanic Temple, said the state’s regulations “interrupt” the group’s own ritual for women who receive abortions, which he said is akin to a ritualized counseling process aimed at eliminating shame and guilt for the person receiving the procedure.