In defense of the sanctimonious women's studies set || First feminist blog on the internet

“This is the story about my abortion.”

Jill

One girl shares her experience of getting pregnant, going to a so-called “Crisis Pregnancy Center,” and having an abortion. From what I can tell from the post, she’s 17.

What I like about her story is that it’s complex, and it’s honest. She’s unapologetic, but recognizes that choices aren’t always made easily — and that makes it a difficult read for those on either side of the issue who like to think that “choice” is cut-and-dry. Read it.

FYI: I will be deleting any comments that personally attack or insult this young woman.

12 thoughts on “This is the story about my abortion.”

  3. Wow… that’a pretty much all I can say. Well, actually I have a little more to say, but that was probably one of the more graphic stories I have read on abortion. It definately makes you think.
    I have to share my own experience with a crisis pregnancy center.I myself am anti-abortion, I know it’s not a choice that I could ever feel good about or comfortable with, I believe that life begins at conception and for myself not an option. I was 18 when I became sexually active and with a background of not so great sex education, I became pregnant via the withdrawl method a mere week after becoming sexually active (and the only time we didn’t use a condom) I was scared to death… my parents were going to kill me, etc… Well, I made an appointment with Planned Parenthood to double check the pregnancy results, but a friend talked me out of it (they’ll push you to have an abortion, it’s not a good place) and told me she’d take me to the nearest crisis pregnancy center. I have never, in my life felt so humiliated and patronized than I did at that moment. Upon finding out that I would not have an abortion were the test results were positive, she was no longer as interested in talking to me. I was lectured on end about my choice to have sex, and had to administer my own pregnancy test, which came out negative (it was pretty unsensitive). After that, I was lectured even more and told that maybe I should rethink my sexual choices. When I came out, she (without my permission) told my friend the results of the test. I was so embarrassed and horrified. I ended up seeing a doctor who confirmed the pregnancy and miscarried days later. When I moved to another town with my boyfriend (now my husband) I remembered this experience well and went on tohave my gyn care done at Planned Parenthood, where I was never treated with anything but respect and care.
    I should point out that my own views on abortion have changed quite dramatically over the last few months. I grew up fiercly pro-life and have only allowed myself to question that in the last few months. My opinion now is that while I still consider abortion to be wrong and the taking of a human life (yes, I know many of you would disagree) that I don’t feel I have a right to tell another woman what she can and can’t do with her own body, so I would rather to work to prevent unplanned pregnancies and work to increase choices and resources for those pregnant women who would like to keep their children, but don’t know they possibly could.

  4. This just goes to prove the wingnuts wrong… this isn’t about black and white, right and wrong. It’s about people and the hard decisions they must make.

  6. FYI: I will be deleting any comments that personally attack or insult this young woman.

    There are a lot of things I could say, but none would pass your muster. Consider this my expression of negative sentiment.

  7. That’s powerful stuff. Different from the image of us prochoicers merrily having one abortion after another. Thanks Ruth.

    There are a lot of things I could say, but none would pass your muster. Consider this my expression of negative sentiment.

    ‘S alright David, we take your disapproval as given.

  8. You’re welcome Jill 🙂 It really opened my eyes a lot at the time, I was fairly naive and came out of of the whole experience more knowledgeable but somewhat disillusioned.

  9. I would rather to work to prevent unplanned pregnancies and work to increase choices and resources for those pregnant women who would like to keep their children, but don’t know they possibly could.

    Julie: I want to add my thanks for sharing your story. And to point out that what you’re doing is far more likely to actually decrease the number of abortions that occur than attempts to illegalize abortion. I don’t agree with you on the question of when a human life begins, but I agree totally that preventing abortion by preventing unwanted conception and making raising children more economically and socially feasible is a good thing.

  10. When I needed a pregnancy test, I considered going to a crisis pregnancy centre for financial reasons. I’m pro-choice, but I’d already decided I was keeping the baby if I turned out to be pregnant; even so I wasn’t keen on going to a crisis pregnancy centre attached to a church because I’ve heard unpleasant things about their honesty. Luckily for me, the centre only operated one day a week, so I ended up getting a totally trustworthy test along with fairly non-judgemental support from my GP.

  11. yeah, loved that christian crisis pregnancy center. all they wanted to talk about was the “better” family that would be doing me a favor by taking the “reminder of my shame” off my hands and never mind that I only wanted information about where to find good, cheap pre-natal care as we were keeping the baby. they tried to physically restrain me when I got up to leave. had my boyfriend not been there, I’m really not sure how far that might have gone. creepy.

  12. Wow. Thank you for sharing this. I am a high school teacher who deals with teenagers who go through this and are completely alone….to read in detail a story….it helps me more than you can imagine.

    Thank you again.

    I appreciate you and your voice.

Comments are currently closed.