In an essay written for Vogue, Halsey shared details of how an abortion saved their life after having suffered three miscarriages before her 24th birthday.
“One of my miscarriages required ‘aftercare,’ a gentle way of saying that I would need an abortion,” Halsey wrote. “My body could not terminate the pregnancy completely on its own and I would risk going into sepsis without medical intervention. During this procedure, I cried. I was afraid for myself and I was helpless. I was desperate to end the pregnancy that was threatening my life.”
The response, published July 1, comes as part of Vogue’s series of written reactions to the overturning of Roe v. Wade.
The singer welcomed her first child in July 2021 and writes about how her journey to giving birth only strengthened her belief that women have the right to abortion. “My abortion saved my life and gave way for my son to have his,” Halsey wrote.
They went on to discuss how they rewrote their will during the third trimester of pregnancy, out of fear of dying in childbirth because “I was prepared for the worst.”
Halsey continued: “I gave detailed instructions regarding the donation of my organs should I die or be declared brain-dead, meaning if my heart beat on but my brain wasn’t functioning, the state would have permission to cut into my warm and still flush flesh and take my organs to save other lives. How funny that while my own heart would amount to nothing more than a series of involuntary movements on an operating table, a beating heart in my womb could mean I couldn’t consent to saving my own life.”
Halsey also asserted that after “years of blood and pain and misery from near-perilous and unwanted pregnancies,” she finally felt “the euphoria of chosen motherhood” with her first child.
On June 24, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of reversing Roe v. Wade, the landmark case that once preserved federal rights to abortion. Halsey has been vocal about her opposition to the ruling, leading chants recent shows declaring, “My body, my choice.” The call to action recently prompted attendees to walk out of her concert, to which Halsey tweeted in response: “Downside of doing outdoor venues: no door to hit them on the way out.”
They also said, “The ‘people pay to see you sing not hear your views’ argument is so dumb. No, you paid to see me use a stage as a form of expression in the manner that I choose. Sorry you lack the critical thinking to realize that the rhetorical power of music doesn’t always serve your escapism.”
downside of doing outdoor venues: no door to hit them on the way out 👋🏼 https://t.co/qc8q8mshd9
— h (@halsey) June 28, 2022
