In light of the recent news out of the US about potential change to abortion laws, the kind folks at Takahē, a wonderful NZ literary magazine have given me permission to republish an essay I wrote a year or so ago. They’ve even made the issue its in (#101) available for a free digital download!
Most of this essay was written when I was deep in the guts of Covid lockdowns here in Germany, reflecting on my role as a mother and my ambition as a writer, which often felt /feels in opposition to each other. In the essay I included my abortion story - a non dramatic removal of multiplying cells in my uterus, due to a failed IUD. I am absolutely grateful that I was in Greece, found a warm and friendly doctor and was able to have an abortion safely and without judgement. It would have been more drawn out had I been in either Germany or New Zealand (back then), requiring a few counselling appointments to ensure I could really be trusted to make decisions about MY OWN BODY. I’m so sorry to American people with uteruses who are going through this and I hope all Americans with logical, working brain cells can come together to fight against the rampant Christian extremists who seem to have taken over your government and justice systems.
It’s quite lovely for me to read this now, in 2022. The New Zealand manuscript is finished and is looking for a home, and I’m working on my next novel. I’ve finished my Masters program and my kids are back at school. I have time to write.
And I don’t have a three year old child because I had the right to control what goes on in my uterus.
