The New Normal

What do you call something that one in three women experiences? Oh look, my thesaurus is handy.

Let's see: 'common, prevalent, ordinary, average. . .'

How about normal?

A group in Cleveland, Ohio, has a started a campaign to destigmatize abortion.

We are here to create a new and positive conversation about abortion in the lives of American women. We are sponsored by a clinic in Cleveland, Ohio, and our activities are based in this area for the time being, but we are open to the stories of all women. We invite you to join us.

They cite some stats about just how prevalent abortion is.

Imagine what will happen if just a small fraction of us who have been impacted by abortion begin to break the silence! We will…

•Help women who have had abortions to not feel so alone.

•Begin to end the shame and secrecy that surrounds abortion in this country.

•Help people see abortion for what it is: a normal and necessary part of women’s reproductive lives and health.

Well, natch that 'normal' bit has got the Fetus Lobby's collective panties in a twist.

LifeShite sniffs:

This much seems apparent, that if something is normal it needs no justification. As far as I am aware, there are few parades in support of sleeping, falling in love or eating bread, and fewer websites in flagrant support of wearing clothes. Normal things are either self-evidently normal, or they ain’t normal.

Hate to quibble with the august LifeShite, but yes, indeed, there are parades to celebrate falling in love.

They look like this.



My Abortion My Life has the dough to run bus and kiosk ads for which they are predictably taking some shit. We at DJ! wish them good luck and hope that it spreads throughout the Benighted States.


Image: 2011 Pride Toronto parade