Hi Danna Colman,

After reading your response here, I’m confused. With all due respect, I can only hope that you have greatly misread the tone in the piece you have responded to. Perhaps you assumed the author was being glib and dismissive? Because when I read her account I found the tone to be measured and serious, as she was offering a descriptive narrative of the experience of having had an abortion. The type of accounting that could potentially have huge value for other women facing a similar situation.

If that wasn’t the issue for you, I have to say, I find your entire post comes off as needlessly cruel, arbitrarily judgemental, and anything but pro choice. The underpinnings of any pro choice argument stem from the concept of bodily autonomy and the right to personal destiny. As such, your personal feelings about this woman's decision are neither relevant, nor appropriate.

You say that you have had an abortion, but under “different circumstances.” Would it be fair, ever, for someone you don’t know to make a judgement about your worthiness to access reproductive care, including the termination of a pregnancy? You don’t have to like her reasons, but let’s be clear, they are her reasons, and they are good enough. The law supports that unequivocally.

Saying you are pro choice implies you support a woman's right to choose. It does not mean you support her choice only in conditions you deem appropriate. Because then you are not pro-choice, you are anti-choice. Period.