Comedian and daughter of Tony Blair’s former spin doctor Alistair Campbell, Grace Campbell, has described the “pervasive sense of guilt” she experienced after having an abortion and said her comedy show, in which her abortion features as a topic, is “almost like an exorcism”.
Describing herself as “obviously pro-choice” Campbell revealed she had an abortion in October last year that she said left her “floored by a grief so intense it scared [her]”.
“The doctor showed me the foetus on the screen, gave me a pill, told me some basic facts, but he did not prepare me for what was about to come. That I wouldn’t be able to look in the mirror, or at pictures of myself, for months, because I would totally dissociate from my body in the hope that I would feel further away from my reality”.
“That I would feel a pervasive sense of guilt, for letting go of something that was mine”.
“After an intense seven weeks, post-abortion, the bleeding had finally stopped. But the persistent crying, self-hatred and grief followed me everywhere I went”.
Abortion comedy at the Fringe
As a way of coming to terms with her grief, Campbell began talking about her experience in her performances saying she “did the only thing that [she] thought might make it better: talk about it on stage”.
“It’s not been this cathartic, therapeutic process, because I’m still reeling. But it’s almost like an exorcism” she told the Times.
Her experience of abortion has since been incorporated into her comedy show Grace Campbell Is on Heat, which was performed at the Edinburgh Fringe last month. Campbell has described the discussion of abortion in her comedy as “very conflicting”.
“And people don’t know if they’re allowed to laugh”, she added.
Her show is on a UK tour this autumn.
The Times reported that the artist Tracey Emin, who herself aborted her unborn twins when she was 26 years old and experienced significant physical and mental pain afterwards, helped Campbell through the emotional fallout post-abortion.
Spokesperson for Right To Life UK, Catherine Robinson, said “Grace Campbell’s account of her abortion and its subsequent mental and physical effects are deeply saddening. As with a number of other women in the public eye who have been open about the effects their abortion had on them, there is very clearly an intense trauma that can result from having an abortion”.
“Campbell’s story shows that the reality of ending a human life can profoundly affect even those who consider themselves pro-choice. We need a society where no woman feels that abortion is her only option, and where we value both mother and child”.
