Editorial Debunks Abortion Myths Perpetuated by Hollywood

This editorial, excerpted after the jump, examines abortion in pop culture-- particularly film-- and how it is inaccurately portrayed.  Interestingly enough, aside from the references to the film Juno, I never actually consciously noticed it myself.  As I was reading this post, however, it became glaringly obvious how negatively abortion is portrayed in Hollywood.  Don't get me wrong-- abortion is not an easy thing for a woman to have to do, and the hope is that sex will eventually become so universally safe, that cases will drop dramatically-- a trend that is actually happening nationwide.  I'm not saying that it should be glorified, but why perpetuate these awful lies?  Are they trying to scare women away from getting the help that they need?

The film industry not only presents a universally negative projection of abortion and the people who choose to have them; it's downright unrealistic.  This terrific editorial by Elizabeth Plank debunks the eight biggest lies Hollywood tries to sell to viewers about abortion, and talks about a new film who may help dispel all of these awful myths.

The 8 Biggest Lies About Abortion, Debunked by the Year's Most Important Rom-Com

by Elizabeth Plank  

Coming out of the theater following the widely acclaimed film Juno, I remember being furious. I left feeling betrayed by a so-called progressive film that depicted such backward views about women's reproductive realities. More than that, I felt sickened by the fact that I had wasted $11 on a movie that inaccurately portrayed abortion as something scary or gross and perpetuated the myth that only women bear responsibility when it comes to children. Because I knew that seeing an abortion in a negative light in a movie makes viewers less likely to support abortion access, it worried me. 

Frustrated, I embarked on a mission to find media that realistically depicted these life events — but I couldn't find any. That is, until Obvious Child, perhaps the first "abortion comedy" ever successfully made. It makes all the other films that "sorta" explore pregnancy, reproductive choices and women's sexuality look like total malarkey

1. Abortion is a very painful procedure.
Going through an abortion is not easy, but one of the myths about the procedure is that it is incredibly painful. The abortion scene from Blue Valentine unfortunately reinforces that idea; however, the scene in Obvious Child shows the lie behind this perception. 

It goes without saying that every woman's experience and level of discomfort is different, but Slate's character Donna shows an experience much more reflective of the one most women face. She receives local anesthesia, is visibly relaxed from the meds but is clearly emotionally affected with tears in each eye. According to Planned Parenthood, for many women, the "pain is similar to menstrual cramps," while for others it can be "more uncomfortable." 

The bottom line is that the common perception that abortion is somehow gruesome and physically harrowing is not the experience of the majority of women. 

"The abortion experience is different for every person," Lizz Winstead, a comedian and cofounder of Lady Parts Justice told PolicyMic. "One thing I always hope for all women who choose to end a pregnancy is that they do not feel shame about it. This film gives women permission to make a choice with no apologies, and they did a brilliant job of it."

 Click here to read on as Ms. Plank deconstructs seven more myths perpetuated by Hollywood.

(Note from me-- I'm surprised that the article doesn't mention the Cider House Rules, a terrific movie that realistically shows that abortion can be a safe and even life-saving process. It does take place in the 1940's when abortion was obviously illegal and much more taboo, and it does a good job of showing what it was like to need to sneak around and find a way to have the illegal procedure, and the potential complications of failing in this attempt. I very much recommend checking it out.)