Dear women and men who support us, prepare for battle.
On Tuesday, a British male MP stood up in The Commons and loudly declared that women have no ‘absolute right to physical autonomy’ and that abortion is a ‘political debate’.
When I heard Danny Kruger utter these vicious words, I felt bile rising in my mouth and a rage that has been lodged in my chest ever since. He, of course, referred to the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v Wade and suggested that the UK should not interfere.
As heartbroken as I am for the women in the US who will suffer and die as a result of the ban – and the pain I feel sinks deep into my soul – I’m also concerned about what this means for the rest of the world.
The ripples have already started – in Britain too.
Kruger’s statement is not an isolated case among ministers; on the day the abortion ban was announced last week, a few MPs and colleagues expressed support for the collapse of Roe v Wade.
Meanwhile, last week, 61 Conservative MPs voted against extending women’s abortion rights in Northern Ireland (Kruger was one of them, as was Jacob Rees-Mogg and many of their conversational colleagues).
Yesterday Dominic Raab stated that abortion “is governed by British law”, but announced in the same breath that this crucial right for women would not be included in the new Bill of Rights.
Misogyny doesn’t care about national borders.
Let me make this clear: my body is not now – and never will be – up for discussion. Abortion isn’t political, it’s personal – I should know, I’ve had two.
Ten years ago, I was lying on a cold bed in an abortion clinic, barely able to breathe when a nurse confirmed I was pregnant and told me I was five weeks and five days away.
I was able to book an appointment within days and without judgment, was offered mental health follow-up care, and had the support of my family and friends as I went through one of the toughest days of my life. I was lucky.
Prior to the Supreme Court ruling, if I lived in Texas and went to my appointment just two days later — the state limit is six weeks — a doctor who performs it would be sentenced to life in prison or a fine of up to $100,000.
That is if I’d even gone in there, with pro-lifers constantly trying to scare vulnerable women into submission by calling us “murderers.”
I’m not the only one angry; women have been taking to the streets, the stage (thanks Lily Allen and Olivia Rodrigo) and social media for days.
In my humble opinion, fellow journalist and author Caitlin Moran has had the best response to abortion bans yet.
“I’ll say this again – it would be much more logical and effective to give all teenage boys a vasectomy, reversed only if they decide to have children, than to curtail the right of women and girls – especially those who have been raped.” – to decide whether or not to become a mother,” she tweeted, after calling Danny Kruger for his comments as well.
She has since revealed that in the past 24 hours, men have come out in droves to call the suggestion “insulting” and “cruel” – which just proves Moran’s point.
As far as I know, no woman has ever conceived without the help of sperm (except the Virgin Mary, if you’re a believer), so why not start at the source?
No, I’m not actually suggesting that men get circumcised, but do you feel uncomfortable with the thought of someone else dictating what you can and can’t do with your body? Good.
Dear women and men who support us – we are confused
That’s just a small taste of how women feel every day.
Let’s play devil’s advocate for a moment and say that agencies are up for discussion. If so, I assume this extends from conception to death, and everything in between.
According to the independent think tank Resolution Foundation, 500,000 children in the UK will live in ‘absolute poverty’ next year. Parents are already reporting starving themselves for days to feed their families because of the cost of living.
Why should these families have no choice but to feed another mouth?
Or how about the increasing violence against women in Britain; if we don’t get killed on the street, like Zara Aleena, we get killed at home.
We could also talk about sexual assault; In 2021, 63,136 anglerfish were recorded in the year to September.
Politicians are already doing an awful lot of looking after our bodies – not to mention the decimation of the NHS.
Coming back to the subject of abortion, I don’t believe that a woman or girl needs a reason for choosing not to become a mother, other than simply not wanting to have children.
You do not owe anyone an explanation for your choices, nor do you have to justify them. To hell with anyone who wants to control our bodies.
Abortion isn’t about politics or ‘protecting life’, it’s about power and I’m not about to give up mine, for example.
Please say to the women and men who support our rights. Our voices must be louder than those of our oppressors. We must never give up, even when the world feels hopeless.
This is a battle and we will win.
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