Woman Brags About Her Abortion: I’m “Refusing to Stay Silent About Ending My Pregnancy”

Opinion   |   Dave Andrusko   |   Aug 23, 2016   |   6:10PM   |   Washington, DC

This will not be a lengthy post because I’m not entirely sure what to say about Brittany Robinson’s essay, “Abortion can be a lonely experience — which is why I openly talk about mine,” which appeared in today’s Washington Post.

Robinson describes herself as a freelance writer based in Portland. Oregon. She is posting on the Post’s “Solo-ish” blog–“Unmarried, but far from alone.”

Here are a few thoughts. You could begin and end with this. It’s another shout out for the #ShoutYourAbortion campaign, which Robinson tells us “has tapped into this desire to share our stories. Through the hashtag and downloadable posters, women are reclaiming the conversation by refusing to be silent about their decision to end their pregnancies.”

But, you might ask, how does Robinson “reclaim” the conversation? Primarily by telling us what an absolute jerk her “not-quite boyfriend” and father of the baby was. The reader suspects that this assuages any remorse or guilt she may feel for the ending the life of the baby who was not responsible for being brought into existence or the shaky status of Robinson’s essentially non-existent relationship with the baby’s father.

Robinson tells us the obvious–that overwhelmingly, it is single women who have abortions–but that

No matter a woman’s marital status, though, abortion can be a lonely experience. It may take two people to get pregnant, but only one will feel the physical effects. Only one can ultimately make the decision of how to handle what’s happening with her body. Thankfully, we still have that decision to make, despite those who try to take it away.

Ultimately, yes, only one—the woman—makes the decision, but it is not about “what’s happening with her body.” It’s about the fate of a helpless unborn innocent. (But, as any crisis pregnancy center counselor will tell you, it’s vital to remember that an awfully lot of women and girls are the object of not-so-subtle coercion.)

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And, of course, not every father is as cavalier and cowardly and conscience-free as Robinson’s “not-quite boyfriend.” I have had coffee with fathers who were unable to do anything to save their baby. Until I did, I never appreciated how gut-wrenching that absolute powerlessness can be.

Finally, contrary to her assertion, Ms. Robinson is not the only one who “will feel the physical effects.” It is someone else who will be vacuumed out, torn to shreds, or delivered so prematurely she or he will die (if they haven’t been poisoned already).

When Robinson isn’t promoting abortion solidarity, she might ask herself this existential question. Who could be lonelier than an unborn child abandoned by her mother and whose life is minutes away from extinction?

LifeNews.com Note: Dave Andrusko is the editor of National Right to Life News and an author and editor of several books on abortion topics. This post originally appeared in at National Right to Life News Today —- an online column on pro-life issues.

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