From One Side of the Fence to the Other

“Unplanned” by Abby Johnson is a true story about a dramatic life turn-around. Abby Johnson goes from being a Planned Parenthood Director to advocating for Coalition for Life. In her touching story, she describes how one abortion turned her life upside down. She discovers the truth and realizes how blind she had been all along. Crossing the pro-choice side of the fence, to the pro-life side, this book conveys both opinions and the forces driving them.

In the beginning of her story, Abby lays out her scenario she faces at the volunteer fair starting her junior year in college. She walks up to one of the many tables; this one is covered in hot pink and very flashy. Before she knows it, she is intrigued with what the person running the table is telling her. She is from Planned Parenthood and explains to Abby that their goal is to make abortions rare and help women in need. Abby really liked the idea of “helping women in need” part, so she agreed to help out the organization.

As Abby ventured and took on bigger roles at Planned Parenthood, she firmly planted her feet on the pro-choice side. From her perspective of things, she believed women should have a choice, especially those under tight circumstances (she could relate because she had two abortions herself). The abortion part of the organization always gave her a slight twinge inside, but she was able to push aside. She was thinking of all the women she was helping in a good way, such as counseling. On the other side of the fence, she saw and respected the Coalition for Life. Abby was friendly toward them although she didn’t understand or agree with their ideas, the same went for the Coalition.

Toward her end of her career at Planned Parenthood, Abby faced extreme internal con...

... middle of paper ...

... each holds wrongs. There are always radicals on each side that take it to such extremity, that they come off the wrong way and everyone is repulsed. In this book there were quite a few on the pro-life side, such as the “grim reaper” and the man who shot the abortion doctor. To kill someone when you claim to be standing up for the right to human life, is very hypocritical and absurd. There are also people like that on the pro-choice side. To hear what coming from one point of view to supporting the other, gave me a deeper understanding of why people think women need a choice about their bodies. I also learned how to treat those without the same beliefs as me.

Works Cited

Johnson, Abby, and Cindy Lambert. Unplanned: The Dramatic True Story of a Former Planned

Parenthood Leader's Eye-opening Journey across the Life Line. Carol Stream, IL: SaltRiver, 2010. Print.