Comments on: Talking About Abortion and Refusing to Be “Wrong”

By: BAC

BAC — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 19:21:39 +0000

Gloria, excellent post that goes to the heart of why I think abortion is a church-state issue. Women must be able to make this decision based on their own personal beliefs — not the views of religious extremists who would have the government force their point of view on all women.

BAC

By: Erin Matson

Erin Matson — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 17:05:10 +0000

THANK YOU!

Abortion is a woman’s fundamental right. Abortion is basic health care. We make a grave mistake every time we allow abortion to be described as anything but a “right” or “basic health care”; language of “choice” can certainly support these descriptions but being more explicit is helpful, in my personal opinion. I believe anti-abortion rights terrorism is supported by the shaming, blaming and othering of abortion that anti-abortion rights activists have entrenched in many portions of our culture, and that we would all do well to continue this discussion you’ve started.

By: Gloria Pan

Gloria Pan — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 16:02:48 +0000

Kathy, by no means did I intend to insult women’s health advocates – goodness knows there’s too much to do and not enough resources to do this critically important work, and women’s health advocates are true heroes. My only point is that everyday women just living their lives, who are not on the front lines of the abortion wars where the language is stronger and more pointed, do not have the language to defend their views. In the public dialog, we hear all the time about “killing babies,” but the counter message about the moral acceptability of abortion has been muted. It’s a messaging issue that I think has not been addressed in pro-choice campaigns, which seem to center on women’s health and rights over your own body.

By: Kathy

Kathy — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 14:58:59 +0000

Oh, so it’s the fault of women’s health advocates, is it, for being neglectful and just not energetic enough in protecting women from moral intimidation? As an reproductive health and abortion care professional for over 15 years, I am appalled by that remark. I have dealt with intimidation, harassment, threats and the death of colleagues and friends such as Drs. George Tiller & Bart Slepian. I have crossed picket lines, seen the blatant joy on the faces of protestors after the Brookline, MA shootings in 1994. I have been to countless social gatherings where my “pro-choice” friends didn’t want me to discuss what I did for a living because it was too controversial and would spoil the fun.

Moral intimidation happens because of society’s silence as a whole. I would never pretend that “women’s health advocates” are a unified group with just one voice (and that’s a good thing). But whether separate or united, they/we wouldn’t be enough to counter the moral intimidation campaign about the sanctity of life and the immorality of women recognizing our power as gatekeepers of that life. I don’t think there is any one culprit for that stigma, but certainly part of the problem are the women who are so grateful for safe, respectful, quality abortion care when they need it and then go right back to their busy lives and do nothing to help keep that right available for others, or for themselves.

As for Penelope’s comment, I don’t have any problem with her post. I’ve given many women the news “congratulations, you’re having a miscarriage.” For them, at that time, it was the best news I could have given them. I also think it must be hard not to be perceived as “flippant” in 140 characters or less.

By: Katie

Katie — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 17:31:08 +0000

that’s one of the biggest lessons i remember from high school journalism — “pro-abortion” and “anti-abortion” are not interchangeable with “pro-life” and “pro-choice.”

By: MadamaAmbi

MadamaAmbi — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 15:49:33 +0000

Gloria–I hear you. Although I don’t have a story like yours to propel my alienation and intimidation, I have noticed that the word abortion has become synonymous with murder, and I’ve been consciously using the words “pro-abortion” next to “pro-choice.” Pro-choice has become meaningless, and I think we do need to reclaim the word “abortion.” We need to get off of the defensive merry-go-round, too. Thanks for sharing your story; our stories really matter.

By: Gloria Pan

Gloria Pan — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 13:55:02 +0000

Thanks, Suzanne and Kate. I’ve felt for a long time now very marginalized and silenced in the abortion discussion. In fact, I feel like my Constitutional rights are violated every time a pro-lifer opens his or her mouth, because there’s just no acknowledgment that people can come from completely different cultural and religious backgrounds and can completely don’t get how a cluster of cells moments after conception can be infused with full humanity, enough to justify moral judgment and meanness against living, breathing real people. The irony is, of course, that pro-lifers tend to be conservative and see themselves as great patriots. But how can they be if there’s this flagrant disregard for freedom of religion, a cornerstone of American democracy?

By: Kate Ranieri

Kate Ranieri — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 09:52:08 +0000

Kudos for sharing and speaking out about your story. The time is long overdue for society to accept the fact that women have moral agency, that they are sentient humans who hold up half the sky. There should be no room for shame or silence.

By: Suzanne

Suzanne — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 20:55:16 +0000

AMEN, Gloria! Thank you for saying it loud! “May Penelope’s brave stance be the wedge for new and frank conversations about abortion, so that what is perceived as “immorality” and “callousness” now can be in the future be accepted as just another recounting of a common woman’s dilemma, and her choice of actions respected as stemming from her own personal beliefs, which are guaranteed as basic Constitutional rights.”