Busy Philipps Opens Up About Having an Abortion at 15: 'Every Woman Deserves Compassion and Care'
Busy Philipps is opening up about her abortion.
On Tuesday night’s episode of Busy Tonight, the 39-year-old late night host shared her experience with abortion in response to the signing of Georgia’s controversial new abortion law.
“I have a thing that I would like to say,” she began. “I hope that whatever it is that you believe personally that maybe you’ll be open to hearing what I’m saying.”
On Tuesday, Brian Kemp, the governor of Georgia, signed a law that effectively bans abortion after six weeks of pregnancy according to the New York Times. The Times reports that six weeks of pregnancy is usually when doctors can start to detect a fetal heartbeat, but it is also before many women realize they are pregnant.
“I know that people feel very strongly about abortion, but let me just say this. Women and their doctors are in the best position to make informed decisions about what is best for them,” Philipps said, as the audience cheered. “Nobody else. Nobody.”
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“Here is the reality,” she continued. “No bill that criminalizes abortion will stop anyone from making this incredibly personal choice, but these laws will put more women at risk. Every woman deserves compassion and care, not judgment and interference when it comes to their own bodies.”
Philipps then went on to share her personal experience with the audience.
“The statistic is that one in four women will have an abortion before age 45,” the actress said. “That statistic sometimes surprises people, and maybe you’re sitting there thinking, ‘I don’t know a woman who would have an abortion.’ “
“Well, you know me,” she added.
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“I had an abortion when I was 15 years old and I’m telling you this because I’m genuinely really scared for women and girls all over the country,” Philipps continued, visibly emotional.
“Is that a hard left turn?” she asked, comparing the topic of abortion to the regular topics on her show. “Yeah, it is. Is it kind of jarring? Yes, it is also kind of jarring. But, guess what? That’s what being a f—ing woman is. Having a regular Tuesday and then suddenly being reminded that people are trying to police your body. And then you just have to go back to work.”
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After the show, Philipps wrote on Twitter, “I spoke about my abortion on my show tonight because I can not sit idly by while women’s rights are stripped away.”
This isn’t the first time Philipps has talked about her abortion; the actress previously opened up about it in her memoir This Will Only Hurt a Little, which was published last fall.
