"It's Over": a blogger's account of having an abortion

The blogger Biting Beaver has posted her first-hand account of having an abortion. She opens with:

"Well, it's all over and I'm breathing a gigantic sigh of relief. Last Tuesday I went to Planned Parenthood for the first of 4 visits in an effort to end this pregnancy. The first thing that struck me when I walked through the doors on Tuesday morning was the security. I was first buzzed into an 'antechamber', a small room that led to the waiting room. It was concrete and sported a large bulletproof glass window (at least I'm assuming that it's bulletproof because it had wire zigzagging through it). On the other side of the window sat a nurse who pushed a drawer to me from the other side. Inside the drawer was a sign in sheet where I had to write my name and the purpose of my visit on. Security cameras watched my every move."

She also talks about her mother and partner and their support during this process. Click through to read the whole post.

It's a frank and open account (don't read if you're squeamish), and follows a series of posts beginning with her realization that a condom broke during sex.

Now would be a good time to mention that in the United Kingdom, October 23rd through 29th is Pro-Choice Week of Action. Michelle at LonerGrrrl has more.

The 25th issue of the Carnival of Feminists is out at the organizer's blog! It's one year old. See Philobiblon.

Finally, Stormcloud at Grrrlcott calls Renault Megane's TV ad blatantly sexist. Her post includes a You Tube video, but you may recognize the ad from the quoted song: "I see you baby… shakin' that ass".

Grrrlcott analyzes the Renault series of advertisements:

" … the images of women and men are treated very differently. The men are always fully clothed, and rarely if ever, portrayed in a sexual manner. The women are almost all portrayed in a sexually alluring manner, frequently in shorts that ride up between the 'cheeks'. On the rare occasion that a heavier woman is shown, she is fully clothed (so as not to be a 'turn off' by current standards of attractiveness)."

She gives Renault a red dot or "Cotty-Spot", which means:

"The ad is so bad and blatantly sexist/racist – Grrrlcott their product!"

And her last line made me laugh:

"Renault, I see you baby, shakin' that sexism."