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abortion tweeting
So, I'm sure by now you've heard of this woman who's Tweeting her abortion.
I didn't have strong feelings about it either way until I just ran across some cranky second-waver's blog post about it. The blogger feels insulted by what she sees as shameless self-promotion, as if this woman is cheapening the seriousness of the fight for reproductive rights with her overshare Tweets. And there were plenty of pearl-clutching comments supporting that point of view. Pro-choice feminists calling it disgusting, tasteless, idiotic, etc.
I couldn't disagree more. When I was going through my first miscarriage, it was a godsend to find just one really well-written blog post about it. There's not a whole lot out there. And I've written about my own miscarriage experiences on my blog, too. I said it in the comments section and I'll say it again:
"Writing about this stuff is such an incredible release. Everyone expects us to just shut up about it and keep our icky little woman problems to ourselves. I think it's refreshing to see a woman who refuses to be shamed into silence and just puts it out there."
Yes, Twitter is narcissism itself. But at least this woman is putting something substantive out there. And if people really find it disgusting, it's pretty easy to just...you know...not read it. Why do I suspect that these ladies would be opposed to public breastfeeding, too?
I didn't have strong feelings about it either way until I just ran across some cranky second-waver's blog post about it. The blogger feels insulted by what she sees as shameless self-promotion, as if this woman is cheapening the seriousness of the fight for reproductive rights with her overshare Tweets. And there were plenty of pearl-clutching comments supporting that point of view. Pro-choice feminists calling it disgusting, tasteless, idiotic, etc.
I couldn't disagree more. When I was going through my first miscarriage, it was a godsend to find just one really well-written blog post about it. There's not a whole lot out there. And I've written about my own miscarriage experiences on my blog, too. I said it in the comments section and I'll say it again:
"Writing about this stuff is such an incredible release. Everyone expects us to just shut up about it and keep our icky little woman problems to ourselves. I think it's refreshing to see a woman who refuses to be shamed into silence and just puts it out there."
Yes, Twitter is narcissism itself. But at least this woman is putting something substantive out there. And if people really find it disgusting, it's pretty easy to just...you know...not read it. Why do I suspect that these ladies would be opposed to public breastfeeding, too?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by wookie on -
I think abortion hits a LOT more nerves than public breastfeeding. I think I am in the camp of not comfortable with it, but I'm not comfortable with sharing very much personal information on the internet period. I do not want that much of myself public.
Which is why, as you said, I chose not to read it.
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Permalink Reply by Herasmus B. Dragon on
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I'm not going to read it, my personal choice and my right (see what I did there?)
I would never have the guts to write about an abortion for the sole reason that there are psychos out there that will no doubt harass and possibly even hack or threaten this woman for a long time coming.
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Permalink Reply by ks on -
I say good for her. I don't like having that much personal information out there either, but I would have no problem writing about something like that under a pseudonym. I fall into the wishing more people would talk about these things and get it out in the open rather than keeping it some sort of shameful secret (and the it's nobody's business argument, which is more or less my default on most things and I'm totally sympathetic to, while maybe not meant that way, still has that effect).
And, like FP said, maybe this will help someone else to know that her experience is common and not at all shameful, and she's not the only person in the world to ever have an abortion.
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Permalink Reply by Future Fox on -
I was recently looking at the Planned Parenthood website and they have a section that encourages women to write and share their abortion stories. It is something I am considering sitting down and doing. Yes it is uncomfortable to share, read, and hear- but these are stories of life experiences as a woman that we often dont share or hear.
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Permalink Reply by LeastLikely2Breed on -
Indeed - I'm in the camp of having had one.
Future Fox said:I was recently looking at the Planned Parenthood website and they have a section that encourages women to write and share their abortion stories. It is something I am considering sitting down and doing. Yes it is uncomfortable to share, read, and hear- but these are stories of life experiences as a woman that we often dont share or hear.
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Permalink Reply by GGG on -
Agreed on the PP site/forum...and apparently in good company in this camp. Thanks for the info FF.
I won't seek out the twitter format even if she is isn't speaking in 'text speak' - to me twitter on a whole is not appealing.
LeastLikely2Breed said:Indeed - I'm in the camp of having had one.
Future Fox said:I was recently looking at the Planned Parenthood website and they have a section that encourages women to write and share their abortion stories. It is something I am considering sitting down and doing. Yes it is uncomfortable to share, read, and hear- but these are stories of life experiences as a woman that we often dont share or hear.
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Permalink Reply by LeastLikely2Breed on
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I hate twitter with every bone in my body.
GG said:Agreed on the PP site/forum...and apparently in good company in this camp. Thanks for the info FF.
I won't seek out the twitter format even if she is isn't speaking in 'text speak' - to me twitter on a whole is not appealing.
LeastLikely2Breed said:Indeed - I'm in the camp of having had one.
Future Fox said:I was recently looking at the Planned Parenthood website and they have a section that encourages women to write and share their abortion stories. It is something I am considering sitting down and doing. Yes it is uncomfortable to share, read, and hear- but these are stories of life experiences as a woman that we often dont share or hear.
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Permalink Reply by Jersey on -
I won't go on Twitter to read it, but I did hear about this. And I think it's a good idea. Sharing stories about abortion, in any forum, can only help lessen the stigma of it. There's also another good website for women to share their abortion stories. It's www.imnotsorry.net. My story's there.
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Permalink Reply by mcglory13 on -
With all the anti-choice discussion of abortions causing "trauma," from what I've read part of trauma is feeling like nobody understands you or that your pain isn't heard or recognized. Thus, talking about this while it's happening would possibly avoid making it traumatic in any way. So, good for her.
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Permalink Reply by jenra on -
I read the article and watched the video.
I'll admit that even though I'm pro-choice with every fiber of my being, and I'm also the mom of a special needs kid who is my world - just like her, my initial reaction was that this was kind of gross. But I went and looked anyway and it really isn't gross. It's great that she's doing this. She shouldn't be ashamed.
I had this image in my mind of her tweeting from the operating room, that's not what she's doing.
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Permalink Reply by Daria on -
I would find it a very isolating decision to make as I couldn't talk to many of my IRL friends. Even thinking about having to think about the decision overwhelms me (which might be part of my hesitation in a second pregnancy).
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Permalink Reply by Future Fox on
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I hear about twitter, never checked it out. So "tweeting" is not evenon my radar
GG said:Agreed on the PP site/forum...and apparently in good company in this camp. Thanks for the info FF.
I won't seek out the twitter format even if she is isn't speaking in 'text speak' - to me twitter on a whole is not appealing.
LeastLikely2Breed said:Indeed - I'm in the camp of having had one.
Future Fox said:I was recently looking at the Planned Parenthood website and they have a section that encourages women to write and share their abortion stories. It is something I am considering sitting down and doing. Yes it is uncomfortable to share, read, and hear- but these are stories of life experiences as a woman that we often dont share or hear.
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