Woman Who Filmed Her Own Abortion: 'We Need to Talk, Not Apologize'

[xchrom]

http://www.alternet.org/gender/woman-who-filmed-her-own-abortion-we-need-talk-not-apologize




When Emily Letts filmed her abortion, she did it at the Cherry Hill Women’s Center in New Jersey, where she works as an abortion counselor. The Center is located less than a quarter mile away from Options Pregnancy Care Center, a crisis pregnancy center listed as a resource on the New Jersey Right to Life website. Chapel Avenue separates the short walk between the centers but despite their proximity, what happens in these buildings and what they stand for are light years apart.

The pro-life community has built its entire reputation on perpetuating misinformation about abortion and reproductive health care in the name of “life” and “women’s safety,” seemingly oblivious to the contradiction that the life impacted by such body politics is that of the women. They’ve misled the public (and themselves) with junk science, character assassinations and the application of sweeping generalities to the procedure that erases the spectrum of emotions and reflections people feel when planning their reproductive future. When they accuse providers, supporters and people who get an abortion, of murder and a lack of moral scruples, it is kind of like watching a black and white movie. We see two shades, but it was filmed in color. Letts video, consequently, helped add context to the procedure.

“I just want to share my story,” Letts said in her video, a sentiment she shared in an exclusive interview with AlterNet, adding that one of the main reasons she put it online was to help other women share their stories.

“It’s like a call to arms to support other women and their stories and it’s happening,” she said. “You tell a woman that she’s safe and you’re not going to judge her, and the floodgates will open.”

[PeaceNikki]

1. What she did was brave and important.

We need to stand up and take this issue back.