A 16 year-old girl has recorded a powerful rebuttal to Teen Vogue’s article about gift suggestions for post-abortive teens, mocking their recommendations as “creepy gag gifts” and making much more realistic suggestions to girls who are experiencing the trauma of abortion.
Students for Life of America is featuring the nine-minute video of a teen named Autumn who delivers a courageous smack-down to the editors of Teen Vogue who thought they were publishing a cool article about what to give a teen after she had an abortion. The article suggested a variety of nonsensical ideas such as chocolates, books of poetry, and “angry uterus” heating pads.
“The point of this article is to make teens like me think abortion is no big deal,” Autumn states at the beginning of the video. “We need to clarify one thing first – abortion is a big deal. A very big deal and to say it isn’t is simply feeding us a lie.”
She takes issue with Teen Vogue’s assertion that abortion doesn’t have to be so scary and terrifying.
“Abortion IS scary,” Autumn says. “No one skips into that room as if they’re getting their hair highlighted or their nails painted.”
And, just for the record, she continues, “the thought of going into that room to have my baby surgically removed from my body is both terrifying and scary and none of these gifts will make me feel better. And if they did make me feel better, that would mean I need serious counseling.”
The savvy teen then begins to go through the list of recommended gifts and proceeds to unwrap them and show viewers just how inappropriate they really are.
“Gift number one is a funny movie. . . . Do you know when this would be appropriate? After your friend got their wisdom teeth out, not after they had an abortion,” Autumn says.
Gift number two is “underwear you can rock” after your abortion. As Teen Vogue writes, “If you haven’t already heard about Thinx underwear, then I’m about to rock yo’ world. These revolutionary panties allow you to free bleed like our foremothers wished they could. Technically they’re made for your period but that’s no reason not to rock them for your post abortion woes especially because there will be blood.”
Autumn soberly reminds: “Yes there will be blood because that’s what happens after a pregnancy ends and it’s traumatizing. And cool underwear won’t fix it or make it all better.”
Another recommended gift is called an “angry uterus heating pad” which is a heating pad shaped like a uterus with an angry face on it. Autumn dismissed it as a “creepy little gag gift.”
The “Girl Power” hat was another misfire. Having an abortion isn’t empowering, it’s traumatizing, Autumn says, then goes on to add: “How many aborted babies have been girls? What about their rights? When do girls begin to have power and how powerful do you have to be to destroy the most helpless of people? To me, abortion is the opposite of girl power. . . . My version of girl power is knowing I am valuable and precious. I am grateful I was allowed to live and I want all girls and boys to have that same right. This is a human rights issues, not a girl power movement.”
She also saw through the F-uterus pin, which is supposed to be worn “to defend yourself against insensitive jerks” who will question a teen about why she had an abortion. Autumn cited the hidden motive in this gift suggestion – that some of the proceeds go to Planned Parenthood.
As for the suggestion that a girl deal with her abortion trauma by becoming an escort, Autumn was particularly incensed.
In no way are children qualified to escort people into an abortion clinic, she said. “Do you really think we, minors, have the tools to deal with that kind of pressure on an ongoing basis?”
Instead of offering girls “creepy gag gifts” to ease their pain, Autumn makes suggestions that are much more realistic.
“If you know someone who has had an abortion, Don’t buy them a gag gift and disguise it as a celebration. Treat it for what it is – a terrible loss. Go sit with her in her grief, pray for her, remind her of God’s redemption and comfort her in her suffering. Offer her your friendship and promise to help her find healing. No matter what stance you have on abortion it should never be treated with such nonchalance as this piece did.”
To those girls who are considering abortion, she says: ” . . . [R]emember, circumstances change. You won’t always feel this afraid and there are so many options and resources for you such as adoption. My sister is adopted and I cannot imagine my life without her. Her life is a gift to us. You have the power to choose life. And where there is life, there is always hope.”
Students for Life of America (SFLA)calls Autumn “Planned Parenthood’s biggest nightmare” because she represents a cadre of pro-life youth who are coming of age and are ready to take over the fight for life.
“This is the generation that they are going to have to contend with,” SFLA writes. “An educated, articulate and passionate one versus an army of p*ssyhat-wearing grandmas.”
Do you want to empower girls to be strong and confident young women? Give them the gift of authentic femininity by facilitating a Young Women of Grace group in your home, parish or school. Click here for more information.
