A reader and I have been exchanging email. He claims that there is no evidence that women (not even some women) suffer after abortion. I've said "well, read the blog, lots of us do, and our voices our being marginalized and dismissed."

This morning he wrote:

"These voices are not being marginalized. What they are is victims of manipulation by those (such as the Elliot Institute and, so it seems, yourself) who want to stigmatize abortion itself, assuming a causal relationship with the act of abortion and a particular emotional pain. This, to my mind, is MUCH worse then some alleged marginalizing of women. Rather then having them list their stories in some sort of bizarre pain parade, I would be urging these women to seek professional help. I sure it would serve them better."

"Bizarre pain parade"--I guess he has been reading the blog.

Reader, it IS marginalizing our voices to say that any distress we're feeling is not due to what Ashli calls our Self-Induced Child Loss Experience, and to suggest that if we think it is, what we need is professional help.

That implies that you know better than I what my internal emotional experience is, and that I'm crazy, to boot.

I know it is very difficult for some people to read these stories, difficult enough that I understand why he would lash out against us for having these feelings and telling our stories. It's a common psychological defense, especially in people who have counselled others to abort.