Sally Field Opens Up About ‘Traumatic’ Illegal Abortion Experience at 17
Sally Field has candidly shared a heart-wrenching chapter from her past, shedding light on a distressing and illegal abortion she experienced as a teenager. The iconic actress, who made waves in Hollywood with her roles in films like Forest Gump and Steel Magnolias, recounted the harrowing ordeal in a recent Instagram post, resonating with the ongoing conversations around reproductive rights as the presidential election approaches.
Reflecting on her experience at the age of 17, Field described a period fraught with difficulty, a time when access to contraception was severely limited, particularly for unmarried women. With tears in her eyes, she recounted the moment she realized she was pregnant just after graduating high school, facing the stark reality of limited family support and financial constraints.
Completely aware of her vulnerability, Field revealed how a family doctor, who was a close friend of her family, assisted her in making the trip to Tijuana, Mexico. Field, along with the doctor’s wife and her own mother, embarked on the journey in the doctor’s new Cadillac, hoping for a safe resolution to her predicament. Upon arrival, she described the surroundings as unsettling, parked on a dilapidated street a few blocks from the clinic where her procedure would take place.
In her emotional recounting, the 77-year-old actress reflected on how the actual experience remains etched in her memory. She detailed being given scant instructions, alongside an envelope of cash to pay for the procedure. As she faced the doctor’s close proximity, Field noted his intentions may have been to ensure her safety—although the reality of the situation was drastically different.
The procedure itself was marked by a disturbing absence of anesthetic. Despite receiving minimal sedation, she vividly recalled feeling everything during what she later described as a “beyond hideous and life-altering” encounter. The horror deepened when Field shared the traumatic realization that she was being molested during the procedure. Battling through the physical and emotional pain, she found herself in a state of utter helplessness, grappling with how to stop the assault amidst her suffering.
As the procedure concluded, Field described the rushed and chaotic atmosphere, with the staff instructing her to leave hastily, as if her safety was compromised.
Sally Field’s deeply personal account serves as a rallying cry for women facing similar predicaments today. Encouraging her followers to support Kamala Harris’s campaign, Field expressed her disdain for any regression in women’s rights, particularly in terms of reproductive health. She passionately articulated her fears for the future generation, emphasizing that young women should not have to endure the kinds of traumas she faced.
With her powerful story taking on renewed significance in the context of contemporary debates over reproductive rights, Field concluded her message with a touch of dark humor, encapsulating the incredulity of her experience in her own unique way.
In sharing her story, Sally Field illuminates the past and urges society not to return to a time when women’s choices were limited and their health disregarded, reminding us all of the importance of advocacy and vigilance in the fight for women’s rights and health care.