#ShoutYourAbortion Reveals the Stigma Enablers

Lindy West tells the story behind the hashtag, #ShoutYourAbortion.

But the deck sums it up nicely:

I set up #ShoutYourAbortion because I am not sorry, and I will not whisper

A recent study demonstrates what we intuitively knew: 95% of women who have abortions do NOT regret them.

But still we don't talk about it, because society has successfully stigmatized an ordinary, common, medical procedure.

I love #ShoutYourAbortion -- go have a look -- because it collects all the asinine anti-choice so-called arguments in one place; it encourages women to speak up, if they want to; and it's been driving antis insane for days now.

And there's a further reason. It is revealing people who call themselves pro-choice but who nonetheless are appalled, offended, or squeamish at the audacity of those using the hashtag.

I call them Stigma Enablers.

They are able to admit that abortion is sometimes necessary, but at the same time, want us still to whisper about it.

Yesterday I tweeted that observation and a very peculiar exchange began.

@fernhilldammit I'll keep my moral compass and conscience, thank you.

— Melyssa Hubbard (@SpankCityHall) September 27, 2015

This woman, Melyssa Hubbard, who claimed to be prochoice, describes herself thus on her profile.

Author & Advocate of Self Actualization | Indiana Tea Party Founder | Former Pro Dominatrix

Interesting combination of attributes, yes?

The exchange went on for a while. She was complaining that we were forcing our shamelessness (or something) on her. Which is amusing, considering her claim to be a pro dominatrix. Classic "likes to dish it out, but can't take it"?

Woman reads twitter hashtag. Is offended. Whines people are "involving" her. And antis call #prochoice self-centred. https://t.co/AhkpuRrq2S

— Fern Hill (@fernhilldammit) September 27, 2015

Other people got involved.

@fortyfs @fernhilldammit A puritanical celibate dominatrix spending her spare time policing & shaming women on twitter. Intriguing.

— Chris Caple (@chriscaple) September 27, 2015

Then Melyssa started scrubbing some of her more idiotic tweets and I hadn't taken screen caps.

Oh well.

No one is forcing anyone to talk about their abortion if they don't want to.

No one is forcing anyone to read the hashtag if they don't want to.

But if you're going to call yourself "pro-choice," you can't oppose the movement (if it is that) without participating in stigma enabling.

C'est tout.