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In 1989, the late great Debbie Reynolds shared her story of suffering two miscarriages pre-Roe v. Wade which would have killed her had she not been given life-saving abortion care. She was able to plead her case and get medical intervention in both instances, but it sounds like it was touch and go for her and that only her privilege saved her. Debbie told her story to Joan Rivers. Her story is similar to Halsey’s and to countless other stories from people whose lives have been saved by an aftercare abortion.
In the video clip from 1989, the legendary actress — who passed away in 2016 — told Joan Rivers that doctors initially refused her an abortion in the 1960s because it was against the law. The vintage clip resurfaced after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade last week.
“I had Carrie and Todd [Fisher] and I wanted to have two other children. I got pregnant, I was very lucky, in that sense, right away,” she shared of growing her family with husband Eddie Fisher. “I was pregnant seven months and the baby died inside of me but I didn’t know it. It just sorta shrunk down a little bit.”
She continued, “And in those days, there were no abortions allowed, whether you were ill, whether you were raped, whether the child died, which is disgusting to think there is those laws.”
The Singin’ in the Rain star revealed that she was told she had to carry the baby “full-term.”
“That was the law. It didn’t matter,” she explained. “It had to abort itself — it could not be taken from me. It’s insane to think that could be.”
She said the experience was especially painful because she still looked visibly pregnant and people would ask her, “‘How’s the baby? What name are you going to name the baby?’ ”
Doctors were eventually forced to do the procedure because Reynold’s life was at risk.
“They couldn’t leave it anymore because now the child is in the sac but, of course, finally after so much time, all the poisons and everything would have killed me,” she explained.
“They finally agreed they would try to take this child out,” she added. “At this point now, it was more dangerous than ever.”
Reynolds was “lucky enough” to get pregnant again after a number of months; however, she suffered the same experience.
“The same thing happened. Second baby dies, just like that. And this time, I said, ‘I don’t want a note from Congress. I don’t want a note from any of you. You are taking this baby now because I don’t want to have to go through what I had to go through before,” she revealed. “And they did and the law was still in existence that couldn’t be but because of knowing that they almost allowed me to die because of that silly law.”
Self-managed abortions are medically indistinguishable from miscarriages. Women are already being surveilled, investigated and prosecuted for pregnancy loss. This will of course disproportionately affect people without means and people of color. As Reynolds’ story and countless other examples make clear, more people will die from lack of care. It will worsen as more women face criminal consequences for seeking care. Boards of hospitals made up of old white men valuing profitably above lives and trying to limit legal risks will be making medical decisions for the most affluent white women who are lucky enough to get to that point. The overturn of Roe v. Wade is a crime against humanity.
Here’s Reynolds’ interview. At a minute in she says it was “disgusting to think that there [were] those laws” and the crowd clapped. She also says she’s never been so happy. Fast forward to minute six for a cute moment. I can’t believe it’s been six years since we lost Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds. It seems like it was only a couple of years ago. I know she’s not everyone’s favorite but I feel the same about Joan Rivers.
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She may have been a flawed person, but at least she learned and forged a better relationship with her family after messing up. I admire that. Plus, YouTube has a workout video she did in the 80’s and it cheered me up in the darkest moments of 2020. Cheesy goodness AND a gentle workout? DIVINE.
sometimes I watch doing it Debbies way to self soothe before bed, I love the banter with Debbie and Shelley
May we all have a friend like Shelley Winters!
I will have to watch those. My god, I miss Debbie Reynolds as well as Carrie. I grew up watching Debbie as I am an old movie buff. I think I have watched Singin’ in the Rain over 50 times!! I miss them both so much.
I miss Joan Rivers as well! I, at times, think that the good ones die young.
Have a friend who went through the same thing. She had to wait until the baby was delivered naturally. She had previously had her babies via c-section and at that time once you had a c-section you weren’t given a choice – the rest were c-sections. Luckily everything went okay. I honestly thought at the time – why not get the baby out immediately?
That is so heartbreaking to hear. I can’t imagine the loss of your child which you are then forced to carry the child to term. These barbaric actions against women are unfathomable but they still force us to follow their “rules” while they cause greater distress as well as the emotional pain as well. They ignore these facts but expect women to accept them without question. Some people should never be put in the position or power to make these decisions.
I hate these people with a vengeance.
What a horrific experience to go through. The psychological toll that must take on any woman, not just Debbie Reynolds, must be substantial.
Just frustrating that we’ve taken a step backward.
My mother worked in a hospital before Roe v. Wade and saw cases of what happened when women/people with uteruses don’t have access to safe medical care.
This overturning doesn’t stop abortions; it only restricts safe abortions.
Yup, and the toll will be heavily carried by WOC and low income women. There will be the evil ones that claim to be a doctor to butcher these women while will most likely end their lives. Leaving behind husbands, children as well as loved ones as well.
A bunch of white cis men making decisions for women who only care about having control over our bodies!! They don’t care one iota of the unborn child, it’s all about CONTROL, nothing more.
More proof that people have never been pro life in any way shape or form and the rage I feel when they claim to be is unreal. It’s about controlling women and getting fresh newborns on the market for infertile couples, disturbing on so many fkng levels.
this story is awful and to think that’s what will happen now. Also I miss Joan too, her shrink wrap episode with Pamela Connolly was really humanising, also love her interview with WSJ
Thanks for sharing the NPR article. While sickening it includes a couple of organizations that will be getting my money.
I saw Sandra Bernhard the other night. (Phenomenal!!) She told us all to remember that what we we are facing and enduring now is the last gasps of the patriarchy. I like to believe Debbie and Carrie would embrace the multiverse and all it’s wonder. 😀 To me, it is miraculous that Debbie was speaking about this in 1989, and that we have this record of it. My body, my choice.