Here's why Britney Spears' abortion story is important
When we talk about people having abortions for various reasons and each of those reasons being valid, Spears’ experience is part of that.
I saw the headlines about Britney Spears having had an abortion before I read her memoir, The Woman in Me. Like most people, I imagine. However, in the weeks since finishing The Woman in Me, I haven’t stopped thinking about how important Spears’ decision to share her abortion experience is.
Spears describes realising she was pregnant as a surprise, “but for me it wasn’t a tragedy”, whereas Justin Timberlake “wasn’t happy about the pregnancy.” Britney agreed to have an abortion, saying, “Abortion was something I never could have imagined choosing for myself, but given the circumstances, that is what we did.” She also says she doesn’t know “if that was the right decision.” If it had been only her decision, she says, “I never would have done it.”
In chatting to friends about it, some of them took these quotes to mean that Britney regrets her abortion. I hadn’t read it this way, but I understand why others did. None of us can know anything about Britney’s abortion other than what she chose to put on the page. I will say that while her complicated emotions are clear, Spears does not use the word regret.
Here’s the thing: When we talk about people having abortions for various reasons and each of those reasons being valid, Spears’ experience is part of that. Abortion advocates cannot exclusively focus on people’s uncomplicated abortion stories because those are not the only abortions that happen.
Writing on social media in response to Spears’ experience, We Testify — an organisation dedicated to the representation of people who have abortions — said, “Reproductive decisions come with a range of emotions and circumstances. It's time to create a safe, non-judgmental space for all stories - the joy, the sorrow, and the complexity.”
Spears’ abortion is recounted matter-of-factly. They decided that no one, except Justin and Felicia, should know about the abortion, so Britney didn’t attend a doctor or hospital. A decision she says “in retrospect wound up being, in my view, wrong”. We do not learn how the abortion pills are procured, but she has a self-managed abortion at home.
About the abortion itself, Spears writes, “The pain was unbelievable.” and that “it’s one of the most agonizing things I have ever experienced in my life.”
Spears is not the only person who may have been unprepared for how painful an early medical abortion could be. Participants in the Abortion Rights Campaign Too Many Barriers: Experiences of Abortion after Repeal report stated, “I was really shocked at how horrific the actual experience of the termination was.”, “I don’t think they really explained how painful it would be after taking the pills.”, and “I didn’t feel like I was fully made aware of the pain and amount of bleeding. I was told ‘mild cramping’ - which was most definitely not the case…”
It is evident that medical professionals need to better inform abortion seekers of the levels of pain they may experience during their early medical abortion. Abortion advocates can also help inform people. Workshops about abortion pills — like those organised by Alliance for Choice Belfast and Alliance for Choice Derry — are vital.
So often, when pro-choice people or abortion advocates discuss abortion being a complex decision, it is solely in the context of people who receive a diagnosis of a foetal anomaly later in their pregnancy. Spears’ decision to tell her story is important because it reminds us that abortion can be a complex decision wherever a person is in their pregnancy.
Abortion can be an easy decision for some. It is a complex decision for others. This is all the more reason abortion must be available on request throughout pregnancy for everyone.
But What Can I Do?
In Ireland, email your TDs about the need to implement the recommendations of the independent review of our abortion legislation.
The Abortion Rights Campaign created a template — Email your TDs about the Review Recommendations.
Here is a list of their email addresses, divided by constituency — TDs 2023 email addresses.
You can read the independent report here — The Independent Review of the Operation of the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018.
Donate to abortion funds
In Europe, donate to Supporting Abortions for Everyone (SAFE), Abortion Support Network, Aborcyjny Dream Team, Abortion Network Amsterdam, and Abortion Without Borders.
In the US, the National Network of Abortion Funds lists funds in every state — donating here means your donation supports 90+ organisations.
Share information on how to access abortions
In Ireland, if you are pregnant and do not want to be, or someone you know needs an abortion, the HSE’s MyOptions service will help you find your nearest provider. Freephone 1800 828 010.
The Abortion Rights Campaign has written a blog post about how the legislation works and on what grounds abortion is permissible after the 12-week on-request period has passed — Need an abortion?
In Northern Ireland, Alliance for Choice Belfast and Alliance for Choice Derry have shared information on accessing abortion services in the North.
Alliance for Choice Belfast — I Need An Abortion Now.
Alliance for Choice Derry — Abortion Help.
In Northern Ireland, Lucht Cabhrach Abortion Doulas provide support at home before, during or after your abortion.
Phone 07397 902774 or email abortion@luchtcabhrach.com — What are doulas?
Email allianceforchoicederry@gmail.com to contact Alliance for Choice Derry’s abortion doulas — Our Abortion Doulas.
The Irish Family Planning Association (IFPA) created a guide for supporting someone through an early medical abortion — Supporting someone through their abortion and Supporting someone through their abortion (Leaflet).
Alliance for Choice Derry has gathered information on identifying whether an unplanned or crisis pregnancy service is legitimate or a rogue agency or clinic. While their post focuses on Northern Ireland and Ireland, these tactics are used globally by anti-abortion groups — What is a Rogue Clinic?
In Malta, the Abortion Doula Support Service is a free information service by pro-choice doctors offering advice and support to people needing an abortion — Abortion Doula Support Service.
In Poland, Abortion Dream Team provides advice and support for people seeking abortions, whether at home with abortion pills or travelling abroad for abortion care — Abortion Dream Team.
In the US, ineeda.com provides up-to-date information on how to get an abortion.
Share information on how to access contraception and STI testing
In Ireland, free prescription contraception is available for women, girls, trans and non-binary people aged 17 to 30 (will include 31-year-olds from January 2024) — How to access the free contraception scheme.
In Ireland, free STI testing is available at home from SH:24 — Order your free at-home STI tests.
Everyone Loves a News Round-Up
“After a week of legal whiplash and threats of prosecution from Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, Kate Cox has been forced to leave Texas to get healthcare outside of the state. Kate has been unable to get an abortion in Texas, even though her fetus has a fatal condition and continuing the pregnancy threatens her future fertility.” — Texas Woman Who Needs Emergency Abortion Forced to Flee State [Center for Reproductive Rights]
“As well as providing legislation for new surrogacy and AHR cases, the bill will also include provisions for retrospective surrogacies.” — Irish Cabinet to approve comprehensive new surrogacy and assisted human reproduction bill [GCN]
“Amid the confusion, some Arizona abortion providers resumed work in July 2022. But in September, a court reinstated the 1864 ban. For about two weeks, until a state appeals court order halted the ban, abortion providers were once again unable to offer the procedure.” — Arizona court weighs 1864 abortion ban that risks ‘conditions of misery’ [The Guardian]
“Nearly four half years Irish people voted overwhelmingly to repeal the country's Eighth Amendment, overturning the abortion ban, it was announced this month that terminations would commence in Kilkenny, Portiuncula, Letterkenny, Wexford and Portlaoise. The service commenced on Monday, December 4.” — Abortion services commence in Laois at Portlaoise hospital [Leinster Express]
“Choice must mean choice: in practice and not just on paper. By now, this historic legal reform should be giving people safe access to the full range of abortion services. We must see a faster pace of change.” — Abortion access in Northern Ireland ‘a right but not a reality’ – Amnesty [Belfast Telegraph]
“Also underscored in the report is the role health-care workers and mandatory reporting laws play in the pregnancy-to-prison pipeline. Mandatory reporting laws are the triggers that turn a health-care setting into one of law enforcement. These laws unfairly deputize health-care workers into quasi-law enforcement agents. Mandatory reporting laws often put patients’ interests directly at odds with their providers’.” — Self-Managed Abortion Usually Isn’t Illegal—but Many Were Criminalized Anyway [Rewire News Group]
“But indecision is a privilege of able-bodied people. Those of us struggling with infertility and disability must decide either way. We don’t get to put our trust in fate and allow for accidents to happen. For us, everything must be chosen, again and again. And so, we must think about everything.” — I’m About To Start IVF. Here’s Why Wanting Kids Isn’t Enough [Huffington Post]