When I was 32 years old, and already the mother of one extraordinary little boy, I accidentally fell pregnant. I was in the ‘death rattle’ phase of a relationship with a man, who was also not the father of my first child.
I am all too aware that out of context this makes me sound promiscuous and irresponsible. Perhaps I was the latter, but I was never the former. So let me offer some context — something that appears to have been completely lacking from the recent NSW abortion bill debate.
Jessie Stephens attempts to explain abortion to ‘Uncle Barnaby’. Post continues below.
I had a child with my partner of nine years and husband of five. Sadly, we separated when our little boy was less than 12 months old. I spent the next 18 months or so getting back on my feet - adjusting to being a single working parent and living interstate from my family with very little day-to-day emotional support. My ex-husband was - and still is – incredibly involved in his son’s life and we work together as a team to support one another practically. But on an emotional level, in those early weeks and months, I was very much alone.
Top Comments
Wise and brave words Lauren, thank you. 💛
Abortion is a responsible decision for a woman who is not ready to have a child.
If a woman can wait to bring a child into the best possible environment, then that is a GOOD thing. It is good for the mother, child and society in general.
I often wonder if old grey male politicians are anti-abortion because an unwanted child is the perfect way to hold a woman back in life.
Nailed it; old grey males think of nothing else all day but how to hold women back in life, most of all their own sisters, aunts, daughters, wives and mothers.
Geez...
Yes, bless men for valuing women through an insightful filter that relates back to themselves: "as a father of daughters". . Heaven forbid we should respect women as people, independently of their relationship with men.
Well, lots of them don't want women to have control over their own bodies, thus holding them back from living their lives their way.