The internet, and in particular Twitter, can be an overwhelming place. Especially within the last few years, it feels like anytime you log on, you're faced with depressing news or an ignorant post from the uncle who none of your family speaks to anymore.
It's exhausting.
But, every so often, there comes a Twitter thread or Facebook post that actually offers some truly interesting, radical information on a very serious and relevant topic. Like abortion.
Abortion is something that has divided people for many, many years. When Donald Trump was elected as President of the United States (it never stops hurting to say that), conversations surrounding abortion grew even more heated. Not that they weren't before, but now anyone can log onto Twitter or Facebook and make their opinions KNOWN LOUDLY. As the Trump administration made clear their goal of defunding Planned Parenthood, the fight for a woman's freedom and the right to have access to health care and make a decision regarding her own body continues. It's exhausting.
But in a recent Twitter thread by Mormon mom of six and writer Gabrielle Blair, she offers an extremely interesting way of decreasing the number of abortions in America. She's also seriously not afraid to spit some truth.
Gabrielle Blair is a blogger, mother of 6, and a New York Times bestselling author.
I’m a mother of six, and a Mormon. I have a good understanding of arguments surrounding abortion, religious and oth… https://t.co/yvGrui3KJN— Gabrielle Blair (@Gabrielle Blair)1536876945.0
Blair pointed out the fact that men are 100% responsible for unwanted pregnancies.
If you want to stop abortion, you need to prevent unwanted pregnancies. And men are 100% responsible for unwanted p… https://t.co/ztGZExHbsD— Gabrielle Blair (@Gabrielle Blair)1536876946.0
Blair then explained why this is the case.
That makes 24 days a year a women might get pregnant. But men can _cause_ pregnancy 365 days a year. In fact, if yo… https://t.co/Ie0pll50Rc— Gabrielle Blair (@Gabrielle Blair)1536876946.0
Of course, the next thought is, "Well, why don't women just stay on birth control?" Blair tackles this question next.
Modern birth control is possibly the greatest invention of the last century, and I am very grateful for it. It’s al… https://t.co/ye8WAHAOrZ— Gabrielle Blair (@Gabrielle Blair)1536876947.0
Blair points out how contraception has always been focused on women, and not men.
Men can keep them stocked up just in case, so they’re always prepared. Amazing! They are so much easier than birth… https://t.co/d2w41pciAi— Gabrielle Blair (@Gabrielle Blair)1536876948.0
The issue with condoms is that most men don't like them.
Why would men want to have sex without a condom? Good question. Apparently it’s because for the minutes they are pe… https://t.co/kxMU50M3ed— Gabrielle Blair (@Gabrielle Blair)1536876949.0
As Blair points out, all of this info is pretty disturbing.
It’s mind-boggling and disturbing when you realize that’s the choice men are making. And honestly, I’m not as mad a… https://t.co/T0amaNx8FZ— Gabrielle Blair (@Gabrielle Blair)1536876951.0
And you know that Blair is going to break it down for everyone on Twitter.
No matter how many orgasms she has, they won’t make her pregnant. Pregnancies can only happen when men have an orga… https://t.co/KZ9ZoV6iT2— Gabrielle Blair (@Gabrielle Blair)1536877057.0
This leads Blair into the topic of responsibility.
Let’s talk more about responsibility. Men often don’t know, and don’t ask, and don’t think to ask, if they’ve cause… https://t.co/8FQ6Tx9h34— Gabrielle Blair (@Gabrielle Blair)1536877098.0
It's not the same for the woman.
If the woman decides to have the baby, or put the baby up for adoption, the man may never know he caused an unwante… https://t.co/6sXRtSE7jq— Gabrielle Blair (@Gabrielle Blair)1536877119.0
So, even though a man can irresponsibly get a woman pregnant, the burden falls on her.
61% of men (or women) who are legally required to pay it, simply don’t. With little or no repercussions. Their cred… https://t.co/sG4PMzo1Hy— Gabrielle Blair (@Gabrielle Blair)1536877138.0
Blair insists we need to be holding men responsible for unwanted pregnancies.
When the topic of abortion comes up, men might think: Abortion is horrible; women should not have abortions. And ne… https://t.co/8zo2gRyQ0H— Gabrielle Blair (@Gabrielle Blair)1536877155.0
But there are some things people can do to hold men responsible.
Stop protesting at clinics. Stop shaming women. Stop trying to overturn abortion laws. If you actually care about r… https://t.co/RNyOh4sHqL— Gabrielle Blair (@Gabrielle Blair)1536877166.0
Blair begins to ask some serious questions that people don't like thinking about.
… as forcing a woman to go through a 9-month unwanted pregnancy?— Gabrielle Blair (@Gabrielle Blair)1536877196.0
Everything Blair says is true.
But is it worse than forcing 500,000 women a year to puke daily for months, gain 40 pounds, and then rip their bodi… https://t.co/9kdBC0rg9S— Gabrielle Blair (@Gabrielle Blair)1536877386.0
Blair has a plan.
For those of you who consider abortion to be murder, wouldn’t you be on board with having a handful of men castrate… https://t.co/Gvyoy6hXlz— Gabrielle Blair (@Gabrielle Blair)1536877386.0
All bases are covered!
Hey, you can even have the men who will be castrated bank their sperm before it happens — just in case they want to… https://t.co/KzYMpRrEW4— Gabrielle Blair (@Gabrielle Blair)1536877387.0
Uh, yeah, a vasectomy is a lot less invasive than many birth control methods.
Vasectomies are very safe, totally reversible, and about as invasive as an doctor's exam for a woman getting a birt… https://t.co/o6xaF0Sp63— Gabrielle Blair (@Gabrielle Blair)1536877643.0
How can we make this happen?
It's not that wild of an idea. 80% of males in the U.S. are circumcised, most as babies. And that's not reversible.— Gabrielle Blair (@Gabrielle Blair)1536877644.0
She draws on a comparison to cure and disease.
If you want to stop abortions, you need to prevent the “disease" - meaning, unwanted pregnancies. And the only way… https://t.co/fEtZ8FW87w— Gabrielle Blair (@Gabrielle Blair)1536877644.0
What would it take for a man to not irresponsibly impregnate someone?
Ask yourselves: What would it take for you to value the life of your sexual partner more than your own temporary pleasure or convenience?— Gabrielle Blair (@Gabrielle Blair)1536877927.0
As Blair points out, we live in a country which is mostly run by men.
Men mostly run our government. Men mostly make the laws. And men could eliminate abortions in 3 months or less with… https://t.co/R597yxiLfz— Gabrielle Blair (@Gabrielle Blair)1536877929.0
Blair drives her point home.
In summary: STOP TRYING TO CONTROL WOMEN'S BODIES AND SEXUALITY. UNWANTED PREGNANCIES ARE CAUSED BY MEN. The end.— Gabrielle Blair (@Gabrielle Blair)1536878031.0
People praised Blair for her ability to blow up things that we think we know.
@designmom You are amazing. That thread completely blew up assumptions I didn't even know I had about unwanted preg… https://t.co/FNzOCp2Mxo— Sarah Stone Ehlinger (@Sarah Stone Ehlinger)1537108829.0
Every day we are told how we're supposed to think.
Blair's Twitter thread really does feel like someone slapping you in the face with the truth.Some Twitter users thanked Blair for writing the thread and shared their own stories.
@designmom Any time I haven’t used a condom it’s because a guy convinced me not to, and I always spent the followin… https://t.co/hBrpi7pMAd— Hillary (@Hillary)1537079619.0
We totally get this tweet.
Sometimes you just agree with someone so much that you basically turn into a living "clap hands" emoji.Will this be the first Twitter thread to win a prestigious award?
We wish it were possible. But for real, that is a thing that sounds like it could happen in like, 20 years.There aren't enough clapping emojis for this Twitter thread.
@designmom My word, Gabby! That was amazing. All of it. 👏👏👏👏👏— Melissa Bahen (@Melissa Bahen)1536886831.0
Blair should update her Twitter bio to "Slayer of Tweets."
@designmom This is a slayer of a tweet storm, seriously.— annelie (@annelie)1536891885.0