My abortion is acceptable simply because it is a decision I made.
I am thankful to be in Australia
Hi all! I haven’t been great on Substack for the last couple of weeks. This is for one reason which the title does subtly suggest: I accessed a form of healthcare that is becoming highly contested in Australia again. I’d be a criminal in 22 US states for that decision.
Instead of acting like a normal person about it and taking time, care and giving consideration to myself - I did things like run a story on Big Small Talk about an anti-abortion politician while I was in the middle of having my abortion (to those of you who listen to the podcast, it feels weird to tell you this after the fact).
I was convinced I wasn’t allowed to have feelings about it, I felt that if I did, I was letting the anti-choice movement win.
Instead of talking about it, I’ve written about it. I was considering publishing this to Substack - but I hope it is something more eyes can now see.
I’ve linked it here and am thankful to The Guardian for wanting to publish it.
Thanks for giving it a click and for continuing to support me, even when I don’t Substack for a few weeks!
And to add a sprinkle of capitalism as I must always do - here is the link to pre-order my new book again if you missed it. It’ll be a signed copy with a free Taboo pin that you get with your order. TABOO20 still works for 20% off at checkout.
Have a great week. Thanks for being here and subscribing. I’ll be back to weekly pieces for paid subscribers next Thursday.
Hello all! I've just received an email from someone who was unhappy by the original title and how it lacked consideration for the reader. Just want to apologise for distress potentially caused, have changed the title to the same as the Guardian article.
Thank you so much for sharing this. The part about feeling the weight of supposed "immorality" really resonated with me. While I haven’t had an abortion, I can relate to the shame that often comes with decisions we make as women—whether about our bodies, relationships, or just navigating life. Even when we know we've made the best choice for all involved, it's hard to escape the pressure of others' opinions, especially when they're just so loud.
There's no shame in getting an abortion, but there's also no shame in feeling overwhelmed by it all either—it’s a decision society makes feel heavy. Wishing you all the best <3