Jemima Kirke Talks Abortion - Celebrities on Reproductive Rights

The Kirke family has done a lot for women's reproductive health and rights, from providing a great model for young motherhood to helping women give birth in the way that is most comfortable for them. And today, Jemima Kirke—who plays Jessa on Girls—has teamed up with the Center For Reproductive Rights to share her story about ending a pregnancy. 

Today, Jemima is the mother of two, but back in 2007, she found herself pregnant and was unsure if she wanted to be attached to her boyfriend at the time for the rest of her life. Her college life, she says, was not conducive to the raising of children. However, she was too ashamed to reach out to her parents for support—financial and otherwise—and as a student, Kirke could barely afford the procedure. She points out that women might conceptually believe they have access to abortion, but things like costs can be truly prohibitive. 

However, the most important part of Kirke's story is that, even today, there is so much shame and stigma surrounding abortion that women have a hard time talking about it—which is why she works to be open about her personal story. The truth is this: A woman's ability to choose whether or not she wants to terminate a pregnancy is often under attack, but that choice isn't going anywhere. One in three women have an abortion, for various reasons—including me. As the editorial director of this site, I feel that it is important to continue to remind women that abortion does not ruin your life, and the positive, sensitive, and honest conversations from women like Jemima are crucial in dispelling the myths that surround abortion.