NARAL recently made headlines by teaming up with Portland-based ice cream shop “What’s the Scoop” to sell an abortion-themed flavor of ice cream. What’s the flavor? “Rocky Roe v. Wade,” an unclever twist on the classic Rocky Road.
What exactly is the purpose of selling ice cream with such a provocative title? Certainly, it will not change anyone’s mind or even slightly catalyze the pro-abortion movement.
The truth is, this recent development is just a small part of a growing trend of pro-abortion activists attempting to make abortion cute or funny. Just last month, comedienne Michelle Wolf performed the outrageous “Salute to Abortion.” It was aired on her show “The Break,” which was just canceled by Netflix. In the pro-abortion piece, she tried to turn the topic of abortion into a laughing matter by comparing it to a streaming service, saying abortion should be as easy as pressing a button on a TV remote.
But is the choice to have an abortion ever truly easy? Even if abortion was made easier to access than a McDonald’s hamburger, the choice would still be hard. Statements like those made by Michelle Wolf and pro-abortion ice cream shops are an attempt to make light of abortion, but they ignore the internal turmoil abortion actually causes.
It is ignorant to assume abortions have no impact on the emotional states of women. The choice to abort a child can cause divisions in relationships. Many times it is the male who pressures the female into going through with the abortion. The experience itself can result in a wide range of emotions: anything from anxiety to serious depression. There have been countless testimonies of women who have gone through with an abortion and had it haunt them for the rest of their lives, and not because of the social pressures involved. No. The pain is much deeper, much more personal.
Joking about abortion, or even hosting abortion ice cream parties, will do nothing to remove the “stigma” of abortion. If anything, it mocks the struggles of the millions of women who are contemplating abortion, as well as those who have already felt its aftereffects.
Children’s lives are at stake! What could possibly be more disgusting than reducing such a physically and emotionally destructive practice as abortion to a cute phrase or slogan?
What will “What’s the Scoop” accomplish by their new association with NARAL? They could possibly experience a boost in sales but their ice cream leaves a bad taste in my mouth.
