Caitlin Moran and "pro-choice" - don't spoil it

Abortion is back in the news in the UK.

Emily, who writes the excellent “Doing it all again” draws my attention to an article published a few days ago in The Times, by Caitlin Moran entitled

“Why I believe abortion is part of being a good mother”

A provocative, journalistic title that would be more at home in the Daily Mail than in The Times. But let us first look at Emily's account of her abortion.

I don’t feel guilty about having an abortion. I felt at the time immense relief. I haven’t suffered the trauma that the anti-abortionists often cite.

On the night that changed my life, I was drunk. Not tipsy, absolutely roaringly, blacking out-style drunk. I can’t remember what I drank but I remember us all clubbing our pocket money together and standing outside the local off licence, trying to work out which of us looked old enough to buy the concoction of cheap drinks. I was one of them who went in with terrible fake ID. I got served with a shit load of booze with no problems.

Caitlin Moran now takes the argument further. Further than “necessity”; further than “ the lesser of two evils”; further even than “a woman’s right”. She is arguing that abortion is a virtuous act of motherhood.

“I would like to see a time where abortion is considered to be an intelligent, logical, humble, compassionate thing to do. I would like abortion to be considered as, perversely, one of the ultimate acts of good mothering.”

It is difficult to understand what agenda Caitlin is pursuing. She is an experienced journalist. If she is saying that woman should not be ashamed of having an abortion – and Dr Crippen would agree with that – then she fails utterly. Her stance is so extreme, and so gratuitously outspoken that she succeeds only in giving the militant “right to life” brigade a foothold.

One need go no further than the first comment under the article from KC:

Sex Causes Pregnancy, and pregnancy produces kids.
Don't want Kids. Lock your Legs Down.
Practice Oral Birth Control and Just Say NO!
IT IS REALLY VERY SIMPLE AINT IT!

Tell that to a scatty teenager who has had too much to drink!

There is a temptation to fisk Caitlin Moran's article, to take it apart paragraph by paragraph. It is not worth it. With its cod philosophy and bogus Buddhism, it is too silly for words.

“Women never speak publicly about their abortions with happy, relieved gratitude, in the same way that they would about a vital job promotion….

Last year, I had an abortion, and I can honestly say it was one of the least difficult decisions of my life. I’m not being flippant when I say it took me longer to decide what worktops to have in the kitchen….I was just too tired to do it all again. I didn’t want another child - in the same way that I don’t suddenly want to move to Canada; or buy a horse…

Ultimately, I don’t understand anti-abortion arguments that centre on the sanctity of life.”

Enough.

I have seen and helped a large number of women to have abortions. For some the decision has been easy. For some it has not. Of the many who find it “easy” at the time, a fair number go on to have psychological problems at a later stage.

Women have the right to control their own destiny and the right to control their own bodies. It should be their decision, and their decision alone, when to have an abortion. And they should not feel ashamed of it.

But let us not trivialise the issue.

By all means disagree with the anti-abortion lobby, but to purport not to “understand” the sanctity of life “argument” suggests intellectual and moral bankruptcy.

Few would argue with Emily’s decision to have an abortion. More might argue with Caitlin’s. They should not. It is none of their business. It was her decision, and her right to make that decision.It is not for me, or you, as a doctor, or a friend, or a family member, or a passer-by to impose our views upon a pregnant woman.

Caitlin Moran fuels the “right to life” campaign. She trivialises abortion, she demeans women, and by her extremism, she damages the very cause she purports to support. As the BBC reports today, there are fewer and fewer doctors prepared to work as abortionists.

Experts say the decline in the number of NHS doctors willing to perform abortions has also declined because they are able to "pick and choose" the areas they train and specialise in - and very few opt to carry out terminations when they can choose other areas such as fertility medicine. (BBC)

Caitlin Moran is a savvy, experienced journalist. She should know the effect an article like this is likely to have. So why has she written it? Her judgment must have been clouded.

I do not believe she is intellectually and morally bankrupt. I believe that Caitlin Moran is racked with guilt.