Editor’s note. This appeared previously. We think you will find Ms. Cohen’s argument as specious as ever.
Those who advocate for abortion rights, particularly those who engage in lecturing others on the subject, tend to be less inclined to engage in irony, introspection, or even reading their own written works.
A further contributor to the debate is Kate Cohen, described as a “contributing columnist for the Washington Post.” Her own description provides insight into her perspective on the inadequacy of television as a forum for the unwavering advocacy of abortion rights.
She is a writer, editor, parent, atheist, leftist (in both senses), an obsessive cook, and a highly opinionated human being. The pronoun “she” is used to refer to the subject in the singular. Additionally, Cohen is currently engaged in the writing of a book about the upbringing of her three children as atheists.
I am in agreement. I have grasped the essence of the matter.
What, then, is the essence of the argument presented in “On TV, abortion is the road less traveled”? One might inquire whether life is indeed as straightforward as this. Other pro-life writers, understandably, focus on the beginning, which I will quote as well. However, there is much more to her militant and zealous embrace of abortion.
After the sixth episode of “Atypical,” I stormed into my daughter’s room.
“Please tell me the therapist is not going to have that baby.”
She paused to remember which show she had told me to watch, and then she shrugged sympathetically. “Sorry, Mom.”
Dammit! I was hoping that the young, professional woman, upon learning she was pregnant right after her jerky boyfriend left her, might decide to have an abortion. Instead, it turns out, she doesn’t even consider it.
I’m so tired of this.
Tired of what?
Over and over again in TV shows and movies, female characters discover they are unintentionally pregnant and then make the choice that most women in that situation don’t make. Or worse: They don’t seem to remember that they even have a choice.
A cursory examination of the author’s opinion piece would lead one to conclude, at least from the perspective of those who advocate for abortion rights, that Hollywood is a veritable oasis, teeming with pro-life storylines. Pro-abortion plotlines are relegated to a state of desolation.
This assertion is demonstrably false, as other pro-abortion writers (to their great satisfaction) attest.
It is notable that to construct her one-sided portrayal of movies and television programs, she has chosen to examine material from a decade or more ago. From the perspective of those who advocate for abortion rights, many recent films and television programs portray abortion in a matter-of-fact manner, treating it as a form of “freedom care,” as Cohen puts it.
It is also worth considering three additional points made later in the opinion piece.
The content of the article merely reiterates what has already been stated in the preceding paragraphs. While Cohen expresses disdain for those who choose to terminate their pregnancies, it is important to recognize that abortion is often the most viable option for many women.
The first item on the list is: “Any particular narrative thread surrounding the decision to have a child could be perceived as a plausible narrative thread,” she posits. “It is the collective effect of these factors that is most concerning.” It is evident that a reflexive response to Cohen’s examples, which are more contemporary in nature, is not to carry the baby to term but to abort. One might argue that this renders us irrational.
#2 Cohen posits that abortion is “at least” a form of healthcare, but that it is not solely a matter of healthcare. The capacity to terminate an unwanted pregnancy represents a fundamental aspect of the array of instruments at the disposal of women, which enables them to chart the course of their own lives. It is, in essence, freedom care. (Her italics.)
One might inquire as to the meaning of the phrase “kit of tools.” One might inquire as to the meaning of the phrase “freedom care.”
One might reasonably posit that if one were to inquire of Cohen as to whether she would have terminated any or all of her three children had she been in possession of the “kit of tools,” she would likely retreat to the usual rhetorical evasions. Cohen’s decision to allow them to live was entirely at her discretion.
One could argue that allowing them to live is tantamount to taking their lives, or vice versa. In any case, the term “freedom care” is applicable.
Finally, we may consider the third example. The examples she uses at the outset—her unfortunate daughter being forced to endure her mother’s incessant tirades—and in the distasteful conclusion are particularly illuminating.
In the penultimate paragraph, Cohen discusses recent theatrical productions that have featured women choosing to end their pregnancies.
My personal favorite is “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend,” in which we find out what Paula decided to do about the pregnancy that threatened her law school plans when the doorbell rings and her son calls out, “Mom, I’ll get it, since you just had an abortion.”
In the context of the morally inverted world of abortion fanaticism, the ideal outcome is for the child who was not aborted to go out of his or her way to reassure their mother that the abortion was not a significant event or a cause for concern.
It is the ultimate validation (it should be noted that Cohen would never suggest that the decision to terminate an unborn child should be validated) when one’s own (living) child is so indifferent to the topic of abortion that they offer to open the door so that their recently aborted mother can take it easy.
It is only the most ardent devotee who would find such an outcome reassuring.
Chelsea Garcia is a political writer with a special interest in international relations and social issues. Events surrounding the war in Ukraine and the war in Israel are a major focus for political journalists. But as a former local reporter, she is also interested in national politics.
Chelsea Garcia studied media, communication and political science in Texas, USA, and learned the journalistic trade during an internship at a daily newspaper. In addition to her political writing, she is pursuing a master's degree in multimedia and writing at Texas.
