Thanks to Rebecca Downs for posting on a cut.com video of women, ages 15 to 50, responding on camera to the word “abortion.” We may have a slightly different overall take, but her insights were very helpful.
Cut.com does these composites where they ask a range of people (including on at least one occasion children) for their first response in one word to a word–i.e., abortion, father—or to a question.
The lens gives you a very tight shot, inviting you to read their faces as they answer the question. Sometimes the woman’s face is blank; sometimes her expression reinforces her words; and sometimes you know that still waters run deep.
Yahoo Lifestyle UK’s ran a piece on the video last Friday. Alison Coldridge ends with the usual usual—“Every woman who has an abortion has her own reason for doing it, as one woman who had an abortion at eight months pregnant knows only too well. If you want advice, support or information about abortions, you can get in touch with Abortion Choices or look at your choices on the NHS website’’—so I don’t think it’s unfair to conclude she has an agenda.
However she also includes a couple of insights along the way. For example, that the two most straightforward condemnations of abortion come from the 15 year old girl and the 16 year old girl.
But far more important than toting up the numbers—for, against, and more or less neutral—and drawing the obvious conclusion that the youngest girls are the most passionately pro-life (a word Coldridge does not use) is that these two go first! No matter what follows they have made the first impression.
From the 15 year old, her response is
“Killing, because they’re basically killing the baby even though it’s still in the mum.”
From the 16 year old
“Horrible…if you’re given the gift of a baby then you should treasure that gift.”
A 17 year old, who goes next, is speechless.
Then a monotonic “choice” followed by “necessary” followed by
“Wrong. I guess I’ve always just been pro-life. I feel like when people think of pro-choice they just think of the mom and the person, people don’t think about the life that’s inside of you, or the person that doesn’t have a voice.”
Wow.
More pro-abortion answers including a defiant “None of your business.” And then this:
“Against it. I was asked to have an abortion and I didn’t. And I’m really happy about it. She’s my motor and she’s the reason I wake up every day.”
One side, rote answers. The other eloquent, probing, reflective objections to abortion.
Take out 3:29 seconds and watch the video.
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.
