Remember when “safe, legal, and rare” policy was the go-to phrase in discussions about abortion? It was meant to strike a balance, appealing to those who supported abortion rights but felt conflicted about the moral implications. Bill Clinton popularized the phrase during his 1992 presidential campaign, and Hillary Clinton adopted it in 2008. But as time went on, some advocates began challenging the “rare” component, arguing that it stigmatizes those seeking abortions.
Destiny Lopez, co-director of the All Above All Action Fund, argued that focusing on rarity undermines the idea of personal choice and decision-making. The Democratic stance on abortion has since evolved, with a shift towards greater support for abortion rights. In 2016, Hillary Clinton dropped the “rare” from her message and emphasized that abortion should be “safe and legal.” This shift was evident in the 2016 primaries, with both Clinton and Bernie Sanders calling for the repeal of the Hyde Amendment, which restricts federal funding for most abortions.
Despite this evolution, the phrase “safe, legal, and rare” still holds sway with some. Tulsi Gabbard’s remarks at the 2019 Democratic presidential debate reignited the discussion, highlighting the changing Democratic stances and the ongoing divisions within the party. The phrase has gradually lost favor since 2012, with the word “rare” being removed from the Democratic platform, and Clinton abandoning it entirely in her 2016 campaign.
The significant shift in political landscape over the past decade has left many voters feeling politically adrift. What was once considered liberal 10 or 20 years ago is now seen as moderate or even conservative.
The values and priorities of politicians and activists on the left have evolved, causing a disconnect for those with classical liberal beliefs.
While the idea of making abortion “safe, legal, and rare” may sound reasonable, it fails to address the deeper issues at play. Framing abortion as an anti-woman issue dismisses the potential for women to succeed and find fulfillment while balancing motherhood. Messages suggesting that ending the life of an unborn child is necessary for success or happiness undermine women’s autonomy and potential.
Let’s examine the concept of bodily autonomy in relation to abortion.
Even though it advocates for an individual’s right to self-governance over their body, this argument loses ground when it results in harm or death to another human being. Just as we wouldn’t support a man’s claim to bodily autonomy to justify rape, the same principle applies to abortion. The choice ceases to be solely about the woman’s body when it directly impacts another life.
Abortion not only harms the unborn but also has significant mental and physical health implications for women. Studies have shown increased rates of psychiatric hospitalization, regret, and prescribed medication following abortion. Physically, complications can include infection, excessive bleeding, embolism, uterine perforation, anesthesia complications, and more.
Abortion is a delicate issue that goes beyond bodily autonomy. It involves confronting the realities of the procedure and its impact on women and their unborn children. Those who truly care about women, children, and families must challenge the prevailing narratives, advocating for respect and support for women’s inherent potential to both nurture and succeed in their chosen paths.
TikTok Becoming the Unfiltered Platform for Abortion Stories
TikTok, where people love to share every little detail of their personal lives, from skincare routine, beauty tips to home decor and even controversial topics.
A woman on tiktok opened up about her abortion and expressed her ongoing struggle with regret. She shared, “Sucks because in the moment I felt like I was doing the right thing… I’m not a child, I’m an adult… I had all the means in the world to do it on my own.” Her honest admission struck a chord with many viewers who flooded her comment section with support, sharing their own stories of regret, even from abortions that took place years ago.
The Other Side Of the Story
Well, as with everything, there’s always another side to the story. A contrasting trend is also emerging, with some women openly celebrating their abortions on TikTok. One TikToker, @kelliamirah, even went as far as buying an “abortion cake” for her friend who had recently undergone an abortion.
In the video that quickly gained attention on TikTok, @kelliamirah documented her shopping trip to create a cake for her friend who had recently undergone an abortion. The video showed her visiting Cake Art for edible image printing, selecting a picture of a black mother tossing her infant into a trash can. She then purchased a customized cake from Publix with the message “Congrats! It’s A Borted!” written in icing, surrounded by pink and blue backgrounds.
In her caption, @kelliamirah wrote, “I decided to cut out the images. Everybody’s so creative.” She added additional designs and candles to the cake, and they celebrated together while raising their glasses. She later shared a picture of the cake on Twitter, captioning it “Hot Girl Summer in full effect.” The response was overwhelming, with thousands of comments expressing disgust, sadness, and anger over what they perceived as a callous treatment of human life.
The backlash was so intense that @kelliamirah made her accounts private, preventing new viewers from accessing her content and sharing their thoughts on her videos.
Many people, particularly those who oppose easy access to abortion, pointed out the stark contrast between the celebration depicted in the video and the seriousness with which abortion is often discussed.
They highlighted how the left has long claimed that abortion is a weighty medical decision and not something to be celebrated. Yet, here we have women on TikTok enthusiastically throwing parties to praise their friends for ending the lives of their own children.
🇺🇸👹 – Cake to celebrate an #abortion.
These people ceased to be human beings. pic.twitter.com/egX1hS4yKW
— 🔥🗞The Informant (@theinformantofc) June 15, 2023
This video serves as a stark reminder of the shifting political landscape and how far the stance surrounding abortion has evolved. It wasn’t too long ago that liberals described abortion as a procedure that should be “safe, legal, and rare.” Now, we witness women on social media creating celebratory cakes depicting mothers throwing infants in the trash. The stark contrast in attitudes and the controversy generated by this video highlight the deep divisions surrounding the topic of abortion in today’s society.
This new era of open conversation surrounding abortion reflects the evolving attitudes and societal shifts that have taken place over the years. All of this just goes to show that we are far, far away from the days of keeping abortions “safe, legal, and rare.” TikTok has become a platform for sharing every aspect of life, even the ones we used to keep hush-hush.
