Jemima Kirke: Why I’m Open About My Abortion Story — Watch

In order to help women exercise their reproductive rights in the future, Jemima Kirke has opened up about her past. In a new video for the Center for Reproductive Rights’ Draw The Line campaign, the ‘Girls’ star tells her abortion story and explains the challenges she faced.

Jemima Kirke, 29, is taking a stand to contribute to the public conversation about abortion. The Girls star opened up about her decision to get an abortion when she got pregnant back in 2007, and her account reminds us why it’s so important to talk about reproductive rights. Read on to find out more about Jemima’s personal experience.

Jemima Kirke’s Abortion — The Star Opens Up

In a Center for Reproductive Rights YouTube video posted on April 14, Jemima says that when she became pregnant by her boyfriend at the age of 21, the only decision that made sense to her was to get an abortion.

“My life was just not conducive to raising a happy, healthy child,” Jemima says in the video. “I just didn’t feel it was fair.”

However, Jemima’s choice came at a deep personal cost, on multiple levels. She was forced to empty her checking account in order to afford the procedure, and was unable to afford the anesthesia. “It’s these obstacles and it’s this stigma that makes these things not completely unavailable — and that’s the tricky part, is that we think we do have free choice and we are able to do whatever we want, but then there are these little hoops we have to jump through to get them,” Jemima explains.

Jemima makes an excellent point — even in 2015, the phrase “free choice” is tossed around, but not everyone is able to finance their choice, whatever it may be.

Jemima: Reproductive Issues Should Be Discussed Freely

As a mother of two, Jemima understands the cost of raising children, but her story proves that she has also experienced the other side. That’s why Jemima has decided to tell her story and help others, even if that just means encouraging the discussion about reproductive rights: “I’ve always felt that reproductive issues should be something that women should be able to talk about freely amongst each other,” Jemima adds in the video. “I still see shame and embarrassment around terminating pregnancies, getting pregnant.”

Jemima is a supporter of the Draw The Line campaign, which builds national support for the protection of women’s rights and access to high-quality, safe health care. If you want to get involved in the campaign, you can sign their pledge and stand up for protective rights on their website.

HollywoodLifers, do you think Jemima’s decision to open up was a brave one? Let us know!

— Gabriella Ginsberg