[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59Ud3g2ymOM"]YouTube- Abortion[/ame]

Over the last few days, Angie Jackson of Florida has made waves by discussing her abortion on Youtube, her blog, and, yes, even Twitter. The point was not to be graphic, or to taunt the pro-life movement. The point, says Jackson, was to "demystify" abortion for other women.

Jackson became pregnant when her IUD failed to prevent pregnancy. With one four-year-old son already, Jackson, who had suffered serious health complications during her previous pregnancy, had no intention of repeating those risks. So Jackson went to the doctor, got a prescription for the abortion pill, and had an abortion. This interview has the lowdown. But, as Jackson wrote on her blog, none of this matters, because abortion is legal, and not wanting to be pregnant is reason enough.

Jackson's decision to openly discuss her abortion is not unprecedented. Obviously, abortion is a sensitive and contentious issue; as a result, many people believe it should be a private affair. However, making abortion shameful and taboo is harmful to both women and the goal of complete reproductive freedom -- the way a topic is discussed influences its future. In America, we discuss abortion in whispers; we expect the women who have them to be remorseful and grieving. Even among people who believe abortion should be legal, a moralistic tone dominates the debate. At my Catholic high school, we were told that having an abortion would hang like an albatross on our conscience as long as we lived.

Jackson's openness about her abortion reminded me of a piece on Feministing last month, which called for a new "cultural script" when it came to discussing abortion:

When women speak publicly about their abortions - which, given the stigma around abortion, happens very rarely - we expect them to speak with reverence, not relief. We expect to hear stories of excruciating indecision, not of easy, obvious choices. We don't have a blueprint for women who weren't wracked with indecision, women who felt emotional attachment neither to the fetus nor to the decision to terminate it.

In a small way, Jackson has put out one method of talking about abortion that does not buy into the closeted, shameful framework that we have today. As Jackson candidly wrote: "This isn't a secret and this isn't something I'm ashamed of. I'm getting an abortion."

Being able to discuss abortion is healthy for women and important in the battle to keep abortion legal; following a cultural script of shame makes it difficult to advocate for reproductive rights. Certainly, this issue deserves some sensitivity, and for many it is a painful decision. However, public debate over practical issues like autonomy, family planning, finances, health, and reproductive rights should not suffer from the rhetorical framework we adhere to.

Lastly, as Jackson rightly points out, women should not be scared away from abortion if that is the best choice for them. Jackson's decision to "demystify" abortion is a step towards actually providing women with a choice: not just a legal choice, but a choice which is socially acceptable as well.

Coming together to openly discuss issues like abortion is an empowering act. Technology provides yet another forum to do that, over blogs, Facebook, or Twitter. The internet is touted as a great organ of democracy and freedom. In Jackson's case, it provided her the space she needed to start a new conversation about abortion.

http://womensrights.change.org/blog/view/florida_woman_live-tweeting_her_abortion?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter