Activist Swallows Abortion Pill During Live TV Debate With Anti-Abortion Speaker

A pro-choice activist has taken a mail-order abortion pill on live TV in an effort to destigmatise and raise awareness of safe at-home abortions.

Jex Blackmore surprised viewers watching Fox News 2 debate show Let It Rip by taking mifepristone, an FDA-approved drug that can be used to terminate a pregnancy before 10 weeks, midway through the programme.

'I want to show you how easy it is, and how safe it is, by taking it myself,' the artist and activist said, before popping the pill with a glass of water.

When asked by the clearly taken-aback host, 'You're not pregnant are you?', Blackmore said, 'I would say that this is going to end a pregnancy, this would be my third abortion.'

Blackmore's stunt came during a debate featuring anti-abortion activist Rebecca Kiessling, who made no attempt to conceal her horror and claimed that there was 'no dignity' in undergoing an at-home abortion.

In an email to Metro Times, Blackmore confirmed that the stunt was real, saying that they had decided to take the pill on-air to show others how safe and easy the process was.

'Abortion is a common and safe medical procedure surrounded by stigma. Stigma keeps people silent about their personal experiences and creates space for harmful, inaccurate narratives,' Blackmore said.

'My action was intended to dispel some of those myths, misinformation, and stigma. I wanted to share, that for many of us, it's a simple process and with mail-order pills, we can have an abortion on our own terms.'

In a tweet shortly after the appearance Blackmore wrote, 'So, I just took an abortion pill on LIVE TV. #AbortionPillsForever.'

Blackmore has been promoting the availability of at-home abortion pills in Detroit through a guerilla information campaign, putting up posters throughout the city that share a link to a website through which people can order the pills.

Mifepristone is one of two drugs approved by the FDA and CDC for at home abortions, with the second being misoprostol.

Blackmore's appearance on Fox News 2 coincided with the 49th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the landmark Supreme Court decision that guaranteed the right to safe and legal abortion throughout the United States.

That right is currently under challenge, with the Supreme Court set to decide on a case later this year that could see restrictive abortion bans introduced in states throughout the country.

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Topics: US News

Hannah Smith

Hannah is a London-based journalist covering news and features for UNILAD. She's especially interested in social and political activism and culture.