'I Had No Choices': Sally Field Opens Up About ‘Traumatic’ Experience Of Undergoing Illegal Abortion At 17

Sally Field opens up about the deeply traumatic experience of undergoing an illegal abortion at 17, just months before her acting career took off. Here's everything you need to know.

By Sakina Kaukawala

Published on Oct 08, 2024 | 05:41 PM IST | 5.1K

Sally Field (via Getty Images)

Trigger Warning: This article contains references to abortion and sexual assault.

Oscar-winning actress Sally Field recently spoke out about a deeply personal and traumatic experience she had as a teenager. In an Instagram video, Field confessed that at the age of 17, she had an illegal abortion in Tijuana, Mexico. The procedure took place in the 1960s, before the momentous Roe v. Wade decision, which legalized abortion in the United States.

Field's honest statement revealed how limited her options were at the time. "I had no choices in my life," she said. Raised in the 1950s, Field recalled the societal expectations of women and how her circumstances left her with no support. "I didn't have a lot of family support or finances," she said, reflecting on the emotional weight of her situation.

Field had an abortion just months before becoming famous as the lead in the 1965 ABC sitcom Gidget. She had no idea where she wanted to go with her life back then.

"I graduated high school, but no one ever said, 'How about college?' Nothing," Field said. She said she didn't know what she was gonna be, and then she found out she was pregnant.

Field was able to get treatment thanks to the help of a family friend who also happened to be her doctor. She described the doctor as brave and generous, pointing out that he endangered his job by helping her.

Sally Field, her mother, and the doctor drove to Tijuana in his brand-new Cadillac to seek the illegal treatment. She said they parked on a really scrungy-looking street and it was scary.

Field's abortion experience had a long-term impact on her. She described the procedure as beyond hideous and life-altering and revealed that it was done without anesthetic.

While a technician gave a few puffs of ether, it did little to ease her excruciating pain. She said it just made her arms and legs feel numb, but she felt everything.

Field also recalled the horrifying realization that the technician was molesting her during the procedure. "I had to figure out how to make my arms move to push him away. So it was just this absolute pit of shame," she said.

Following the procedure, Field was rushed out of the building as if the building was on fire. "They didn't want me there, you know, it was illegal," she said.

Despite the trauma, Field expressed gratitude to her family doctor and acknowledged the risk he took. She stated that if his involvement was revealed, he would have lost his license.

Field spoke on the years after the abortion and her ultimate rise to fame as Gidget. She added that a few months later, she started auditioning.

She did not have an agency. She wasn't actually an actor. By the end of the year, she had landed the role of Gidget, which many saw as the perfect all-American girl next door.

Disclaimer: If you know someone who is struggling with abuse, please reach out and report about it. There are several helplines available for the same.

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