Sally Field, the Oscar-winning actress known for her roles as Gidget and Forrest Gump, has bravely opened up about her traumatic experience of undergoing an illegal abortion as a teenager. This accounts her life when she was just 17 years old, before the 1973 Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision legalized abortion across the United States.
Field shared her story via Instagram on October 6, 2023, as she called for support for reproductive rights during the upcoming 2024 presidential election. Her candid revelations about this deeply personal and harrowing experience have struck chords within various channels of the media.
Reflecting on her life during the 1950s, Field admits she felt immense shame tied to her situation, stating, "I still feel very shamed about it because I was raised in the '50s, and it’s ingrained in me." She outlined feeling immense pressure as she had no significant family support or financial means. This environment contributed to her decision to seek the procedure.
The actress elaborated on how her family doctor, who she described as both brave and generous, played a pivotal role. "He drove me and his wife and my mother, in their brand-new Cadillac, to Tijuana for the procedure," she explained, recalling how they parked on what she described as a "really scrungy-looking street." It was there her doctor handed her an envelope filled with cash, instructing her to go to the building nearby for the abortion.
Field vividly narrated the experience, calling it "beyond hideous and life-altering." She described being subjected to the procedure without anesthetic, reliant only on minimal doses of ether. "There was this technician giving me puffs of ether, but he would take it away," she recalled, expressing how the drug only numbed her limbs but did not alleviate the excruciates of childbirth. "And I felt everything — how much pain I was in."
Things took a more alarming turn for Field when she realized the technician was molesting her during the procedure. "I had to figure out how can I make my arms move to push him away! It was just this absolute pit of shame," she recounted. Upon conclusion of the procedure, Field was hurriedly ushered out as if they were trying to disguise the illegal act. "They didn’t want me there, you know, it was illegal," she said, expressing gratitude toward her doctor who risked his career to help her.
Looking back, Field reflected on how fate intervened after her traumatic ordeal. A few months later, she began auditioning for acting roles, without having prior professional training. By the end of the year, she landed the role of Gidget—the quintessential all-American girl next door. Ironically, this role would reshape her image and career, contrasting sharply with the dark experience she had just undergone.
Field recounted her emotions, emphasizing the importance of acknowledging this shared struggle many women of her generation faced: "So many young women my generation were going through this," she stated. By shedding light on her experience, she aims to advocate for the protection and nurturing of reproductive rights, especially as discussions around abortion resurfaced with heightened urgency due to recent legislative changes.
"We can't go backward," she urged her followers, pushing for awareness leading up to the 2024 election and voicing her endorsement for presidential candidates, particularly Kamala Harris and Tim Walz. "Pay attention to this election," Field implored, affirming the necessity for collective action to secure reproductive freedoms.
The timing of her message resonates amid the contemporary climate surrounding reproductive rights, especially after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022, igniting fierce local and nationwide debates on legislation concerning abortion. Field's revelations bring to surface the challenges faced by countless women historically and currently, urging all to reflect on the choices available to women today.
Among her supporters, her account is met with both admiration and horror at the realities she endured so many years ago. While she has spoken about her abortion previously, most poignantly within her 2018 memoir in Pieces, her recent video is perhaps the most impactful, serving as both reminisce and rallying cry.
Field has emphasized how she feels compelled to speak up now more than ever, recognizing the vast responsibilities placed on younger generations, stating, “We can’t go back. We have to all stand up and fight.”
Woven within her experience is not only her personal pain but the resilience of women everywhere who have faced similar scenarios—a narrative echoed by many as they continue advocating for rights, choices, and healthcare access. Field finishes her deeply personal narrative reminding viewers of the strength found through unity and advocacy, urging them to be vigilant and responsive with electoral political processes. Her story invites others to confront issues of reproductive health and freedom, disallowing them to be pushed back under the shadows of shame and stigma.
Field’s reflections are not simply about memory; they are about action and hope for progress, emphasizing via her powerful statement: “We can’t go back!”
