Further to anti-abortion bullshit like the “We Need A Law” tour I mentioned in Daily Aggregation … I’ve just learned that Lindy West, a great writer and one of my heroes, created the #ShoutYourAbortion hashtag on Twitter a couple of days ago. It’s function: to let women share the fact that they’ve had an abortion.
Women sharing their stories is important, because when abortion becomes something people are scared to talk about, it’s easy for religious psychos and vicious politicians to attack it, outlaw it and shut down women’s health clinics (which they do because terrorizing people is a way to have power over them, duh). This madness is happening in the United States and religious lunatics are working hard to, step by step, bring the same kind of restrictions to Canada.
Also, some strongly pro-choice people are male humans, and it’s good for us male humans to hear stories about important female experiences that we’re inherently clueless about.
#ShoutYourAbortion was inspired by West’s friend Amelia Bonow, who wrote a powerful Facebook post on her abortion experience:
“Like a year ago I had an abortion at the Planned Parenthood on Madison Ave, and I remember this experience with a near inexpressible level of gratitude … I am telling you this today because the narrative of those working to defund Planned Parenthood relies on the assumption that abortion is still something to be whispered about. Plenty of people still believe that on some level – if you are a good woman – abortion is a choice which should be accompanied by some level of sadness, shame or regret. But you know what? I have a good heart and having an abortion made me happy in a totally unqualified way. Why wouldn’t I be happy that I was not forced to become a mother?”
Bonow has described her abortion more fully in this staggeringly good column. Back to Lindy West. Says West:
“The fact that even progressive, outspoken, pro-choice feminists feel the pressure to keep our abortions under wraps — to speak about them only in corners, in murmurs, in private with our closest confidantes – means that opponents of abortion get to define it however suits them best. They can cast those of us who have had abortions as callous monstrosities, and seed fear in anyone who might need one by insisting that the procedure is always traumatic, always painful, always an impossible decision. Well, we’re not, and it’s not.”
You can read more about #ShoutYourAbortion here. On Twitter, West (@thelindywest) said she’s being harassed and getting death threats and I’m sure Bonow is on the receiving end of attacks too. That’s what happens when you stand up to thugs and crazies.
Fortunately, they’re not alone.
