If you’re a regular reader here or on my Instagram page, you know I like to make up words. “Trumpectomy” and “Back-to-normaling,” for example. Every Monday I’ll feature a new word here for open minds. Any suggestions? Would love those, too.
Sadly, today’s word is too terrifying to make up.



A Note About Comments: If you read my earlier essay on Navigating the Change, you know I had an abortion after being raped at 17. Legal abortion is personal for me. I know we don’t all agree on this issue. It is my belief that when I choose to publish here on a public forum, I am accepting the right of others to comment if and how they wish. Fortunately, this has not been a problem, but please know I do not remove critical or offensive comments here, nor do I respond.
All images are my own.
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Thank you for sharing your story. I’m making a rare shift into politics today
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Thank you for commenting, LA
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You have my support. I feel for the women and girls in the US who have lost this hard-fought-for right.
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I am so sorry to learn you were a victim of sexual violence. I am so happy to learn you were able to access an abortion. I support every person’s right to bodily autonomy. What is happening in the US is very concerning to people everywhere. There are those in Canada who want the same to happen here. I can’t believe we have to fight for this all over again.
Deb
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Thank you for commenting, Deb. It all is unbelievable, isn’t it?
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Wow Natalie. What courage to share your story. Hugs…
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Thank you, Brad
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Thank you for sharing such an important and traumatic event in your life. This is definitely a complex issue and one that deserves real conversation and women deserve better access to affordable health care. Best Wishes! Leigh
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Thank you, Leigh. Real conversation is always a good thing.
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Brave, true and sad, Natalie. May we find out way out of this hypocrisy – or maybe we can all move to Portugal!
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Thank you, Wynne. Here’s to finding our way out.
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I saw and commented at NTC, but for some reason my comment was anonymous…I appreciated your story and your vulnerability in sharing it.
I’ve bought a lot of plan b over the last week and made sure my daughter and her friends know it.
And, as I said on social media last week, I’ve seen a lot working with kids for almost 30 years. I’ve bought clothing, food, and tampons for students. I’ve been called, “Mom” twice as often as I’ve been called a “bitch.” I’ve lost students to suicide, a house fire, and foster care.
“Pro-life,” is a pretty big promise.
Either every heartbeat matters, or none of them do.
As I sa
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Thank you, Laura, for your sensitive and kind comments here and on NTC. I applaud all you do for young people. Pro-life is a big promise indeed.
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Thank you for sharing your story. I am so sad for American women and girls, especially the ones that are already poor and oppressed and will never have access to find alternatives elsewhere.
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Great post Natalie. I have no problem with people expressing their “political” views. I favor it. Disagreement is something lawyers are used to. Sharing opposing views leads to better understanding and better outcomes.
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Thank you for commenting, John. Common understanding and sharing of different ideas is key.
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Thanks for being vulnerable enough to share this. Sending love ❤
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Thank you so much 💜
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So upsetting I can’t even begin. Maybe we should all follow you to Portugal? 🤣😭💔
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Thank you for commenting, Libby. I hope all expats from the US remember that they can still vote as citizens of the US.
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Honest, raw post. I try to stay away from anything political. Am I pro-life? pro-choice? What I do know is that I am pro-LOVE. Every decision needs to consider love.
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Thank you for commenting, Ruth. Yes, yes, yes to heaping plates of love and compassion.
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So true that word is horrible, frustrating and infuriating enough as it stands, needs no alterations 😡.
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Thank you for commenting, Jan. I wholeheartedly agree.
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❤️❤️
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Thank you, Jim.
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😊😊
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💜 HypoWrongfulCritical
…💛💚💙…
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💜 On a more positive note; “hyporightfulcritical”
…💛💚💙…
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The entire situation with the gun violence, the removal of abortion rights, and now the talk of rolling back more rights, I’m frightened. For myself and the women and girls in my family and national community. I’m seriously thinking of moving back to Canada. I also realize this is a privilege I have, for too, too many people don’t have that option. We must do better. We must fight to ratify the ERA. We all need this to be able to live in peace.
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Thank you for commenting, Tamara. This is truly a frightening time. I don’t think people realize yet how terrifying this really is.
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I agree. I’m dreading to see how it plays out.
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Thank you for sharing your experiences. I’m sorry that you’ve gone through this, but please keep speaking your truth. So many of us out here can relate ❤️
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Thank you so much for reading and commenting. We must keep sharing our truth in these hostile, dangerous times. I appreciate your kindness 💜
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I’m so sorry that you had to go through that.
I really really really don’t understand how women especially don’t get how this infringes on their rights. Why not have a law for men? All men not trying to conceive need to have their tubes tied. Why is everything on the woman? Why does the man bear no consequences?
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Thank you for reading and commenting, Moksha. Yes, what about men who masturbate their semen into a tissue they then flush down a toilet? Why not charge them with murdering a potential child too? Patriarchal hypocrisy.
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Nat can I share your hypocrisy quote on my blog ?
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Thank you for asking, Matt. Yes.
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😏👍
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Thank you for sharing your personal story. To see the beautiful woman you’ve become after having to endure something so horrific is truly inspirational. ❤️
As a Christian, I believe a lot of us are very misguided. There’s so much focus on making sure babies are born, while no one is asking ‘why?’. Why are women choosing to have abortions in the first place?
I am pro life, but I choose to vote pro choice because I don’t believe in government overreach.
We (men and women) also need to be better educated about birth control and given unrestricted access to it. *Birth control is abortion control!* A woman can’t have an abortion if she’s isn’t pregnant. So any politician who is pro life and against birth control has their own agenda that has nothing to do with ‘protecting life.’ IMO.
Read the gospels and you’ll see that Jesus never shamed women (even prostitutes) because he understood the oppressive patriarchy they had to live with in their community. What is shameful is that many women in America still live with that patriarchy today. Take care. 🙏🏼
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Thank you, Deb, for this well articulated view that clearly comes from a place of love and compassion. The world would be a better place if we had much more love and compassion for each other. Hugs to you 💜
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