Abortion

“Jane” Had An Abortion, and She Is Speaking Out

Terminating a pregnancy is expensive, and more and more women are learning that access is more than physical, it's financial.

Images from thisismyabortion.com

“Jane” had an abortion, and she took pictures. The result was “Thisismyabortion.com,” a reminder that what most women see when they have an abortion isn’t what is shown on the blown up posters and placards displayed by anti-choice protesters.

But although the site corrects the public misconception of what products of conception look like, it also clarifies the fact that regardless of all of the physical roadblocks put in place to stop a woman from terminating a pregnancy, it’s the financial hurdles that are often greater. 

Via Business Insider:

JANE: There is a vast wealth divide that decides who can and who cannot access an abortion. I’m well aware of the privilege I had in being able to pay for my abortion outright. Many women, in fact, I would argue most, cannot afford the procedure simply out of pocket. If I did not have the financial means to pay for my abortion, I would have gone to serious lengths to have made it possible.

Women are faced with that reality everyday. It’s madness to witness the inequality of wealth distribution in our social programs. A much larger portion of my tax dollars feeds our defense program than our health programs. If I had any say in how my tax dollars were allocated, I would direct all my hard earned tax dollars to education programs and women’s health organizations.

As “Jane” explained to Jessica Gottlieb, she would have resorted to nearly any means possible to obtain an abortion, only resorting to having the baby and giving in up for adoption if every other option was cut off.

Jane: It was fortunately not difficult for me to obtain the actual abortion itself. The clinic where I had my procedure has since been shut down. The only way a woman could have an abortion now would be to travel to the nearest city, over an hour away.

JG: What would you have done if you weren’t allowed an abortion?

Jane: This is a really tough question. Honestly, I would have done everything in my power to obtain a safe abortion. I would have contacted organizations such as Women on Waves or Women on Web and sought them out to have the procedure done in the safest manner possible to my body. If this pursuit turned up with no results, I would have given my child up for adoption.

Although “Jane’s” site is meant to provide a realistic view of what an abortion at six weeks looks like, abortion opponents are unsurprisingly unmoved, calling her “evil,” “soulless” and sending her emails telling her what her “developed baby” looked like and that they are praying for her.