Heard of these?

[masuki bance]

My First Abortion Party

..."What are you going to do?" Unnecessary question, really -- a conversational life vest, used when you’re sputtering for something to say. We knew the answer. Maggie, a 22-year-old college senior with no intention of bringing a child into the world yet, was going to have an abortion. She told us that she had already made up her mind; she had even determined the time, date and location. A better question might have been, "How are you going to pay for it?"

She answered that one before we had a chance to ask. "We’re having a party Friday to raise money," Maggie said. "You guys are obviously invited."

An abortion party. For the price of whatever we were willing to donate, she explained, we could partake of baked goods, beer and dancing. It was going to start at 10 p.m. at Maggie’s.

The Facebook invite came a day later, and it was settled. Ali and I were going to scrape together what donation money we could and join in the festivities.

Before continuing, I should make it clear that I’m no stranger to bizarre, pregnancy-related parties. My junior year of college, I attended a "Welcoming the Baby Kegger" designed to provide love, support and slurred confessions to a friend nearing her delivery date (she drank grape juice). Though I had initially been skeptical, I left this soirée du bébé pleasantly surprised. Everyone had brought gifts, toys, wine and food, which they piled atop a table in her living room. The music was low, and the conversation was great -- an all-around classy affair. I imagined the abortion party might be similar to this: a way to help out a friend who’s made a difficult decision. I was both right and wrong....

http://www.alternet.org/reproductivejustice/141140/my_first_abortion_party/?page=entire

[Webster Green]

1. This is going to make some heads explode..

:nuke:

[optimal-tomato]

2. I sortof have.

My mother told me that when she was in high school and college, some girls had something like this (though not nearly as organized or festive). Because abortion was illegal at the time, friends and friends of friends would kick in money to pay for gas and the procedure in Mexico. I got the feeling like she contributed to her fair share of them, even though she's now fairly anti-abortion.

Never heard of it recently. I'd be shocked if they weren't always happening, but the internet just makes it more out in the open. Unless abortions are available to all for free, some girls are going to get pregnant and need help getting an abortion. The harder people make it to get an abortion, the more girls and women will have to rely on their friends to get one.