Girls actress Jemima Kirke bravely and candidly revealed that she had an abortion without anesthesia.
The discussion of her abortion is part of a public service announcement for the Center for Reproductive Rights.
The 29-year-old actress got the abortion in 2007 after a surprise pregnancy.
She states, “My life was not conducive to raising a healthy, happy child. I just didn’t feel it was fair.”
Kirke says she faced the difficult decision because she didn’t want her mother to know she was pregnant.
Without help from her family, she asked her boyfriend to pay for the abortion. Her lack of resources also forced her to undergo the painful procedure with anesthesia.
“It’s these obstacles and it’s this stigma that makes these things not completely unavailable,” she explains.
She says, ”We think we do have free choice and we are able to do whatever we want, but then there are these little hoops we have to jump through to get them.”
Kirke has two daughters, 4 and 8, and wants to see a future where her girls don’t have to “fight for their rights over their bodies.”
“I’m already anticipating their issues with self-esteem, their body, the whole luggage that comes with being a woman,” she continues.
She adds, “And so I would love if when they’re older, the political issues surrounding their bodies were not there anymore.”
The HBO series Girls has been praised by feminist critics for delving into the difficult issues women face.
For example, in the second episode of the series, Kirke’s character schedules an abortion, though she later realizes she is not pregnant.
Jemima’s own experiences prove that these issues are not just made-for-tv drama or problems of the past. They are real scenarios that women still face every day.
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