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Darcy Burner asks more women to 'come out'

June 14, 2012 @ 5:27 pm (Updated: 10:07 am - 6/15/12 )

Listen to Darcy Burner asks more women to "come out" about abortion

Congressional candidate Darcy Burner didn't think her request to have women stand up if they've had an abortion would become a controversy, but she hopes it will inspire more women to "come out" about their personal experiences.

At a women's health conference in Rhode Island the First Congressional District candidate asked women in the room to stand if they have had an abortion. She says about 150 women stood. Then about 2,000 women stood after she asked if the rest of the audience would support a woman who has had an abortion and is "willing to come out about it."

BurnerAfter the speech, Burner talked with a few of the women who stood up. They "never felt as loved and supported" as they did when everyone stood with them.

In an interview with Burner, she uses the term "coming out of the closet" several times.

Her message about abortion was inspired by the success of the gay rights movement.

There was a time when people felt they had to conceal their sexual orientation or gender identity because society shamed.

As more and more people came out about their homosexuality, others were able to see there's nothing wrong or shameful about being gay, she says.

"Women who've had an abortion should feel like it's okay to come out of the closet and talk about their decision," Burner says.

"People think they don't know women who've had abortions, when in fact their mothers or their sisters or their co-workers or their friends often have. Women being able to come out of the closet and being able to say 'I've had an abortion' would change people's view of what it meant."

I asked Burner a question I've never asked anyone before, "Have you had an abortion?"

"I have not had an abortion, but I've been in a situation in which during a very high-risk pregnancy my doctor sat me down and said their was a very real chance if I continued the pregnancy I wouldn't survive," she says. "The choices that are made at that moment are incredibly difficult and no politician has the right to make them for any woman."

She believes abortion rights will become an issue in the congressional races across the country as those in the GOP try to restrict women's access to medical care.

"It's easy for opponents of abortion rights, and women's rights in general, to paint the worst possible pictures. To claim that the only people this ever happens to are horrific horrible people and they're not. They're your neighbor, they're your co-worker, they're your mother, they're your friend," Burner says. "Politicians don't get to stand between women and their doctors."

The race to replace Jay Inslee is a crowded one that includes John Koster, who opposes abortion but did not return my request for a comment. Among the Democrats - Suzan DelBene, Laura Ruderman, state Rep. Roger Goodman and state Sen. Steve Hobbs.

By LINDA THOMAS

AP file photo

Related: Burner abortion move sparks strong debate

More from Linda Thomas

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Comments (107)


  • Add A Comment

  • kata wrote...
    I recommend...
    June 14, 2012 4:54 pm
    watching the NetRoots video in the "related" link.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • SeattleJack wrote...
    Really classy,
    June 14, 2012 6:29 pm
    forcing women in the audience who've had an abortion to either to out themselves or hide it. What a jerk. Well, Reichert smoked her in the last election. Hope she loses even bigger this time.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Thor wrote...
    The Amazing Grace (and illusion) of Newborn Life
    June 15, 2012 12:08 am
    And a new baby is born and there is so much love and celebration for the new baby. But medical science proves the new baby's life did not exactly begin at birth! That little heart was beating and that little brain working many weeks prior! So now we have Darcy Burner, who would celebrate the act of killing the unborn child? Darcy Burner, you sure lost my vote.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • messiah101 wrote...
    Seattle Jack
    June 15, 2012 9:25 am
    FORCING? Are you kidding me? Your Seattle Joke not Seattle Jack
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • SeattleJack wrote...
    Messiah
    June 15, 2012 11:22 am
    It's "you're," not "your". Does ANYBODY have an education anymore?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • SeattleJack wrote...
    And of course her motivation
    June 15, 2012 11:20 am
    is pure as the driven snow. It has NOTHING to do with ginning up publicity for the election.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Toolbridge wrote...
    You are an Idiot.
    June 15, 2012 8:09 pm
    and, you probably have no clue as to why.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • couchpotatoslacker wrote...
    I'd be for this one
    June 14, 2012 4:55 pm
    She is one abortion I might actually have approved of.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • FormerMarineSgt wrote...
    couchpotatoslacker wrote...
    June 14, 2012 6:01 pm
    Such class there. Such class.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • couchpotatoslacker wrote...
    fake marine
    June 14, 2012 8:23 pm
    Classier than pretending to have served in the Military.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • ron prevost wrote...
    No way to spin this one.
    June 14, 2012 5:02 pm
    Private sector 'doing just fine' ? - Spinable. ... 'Fast and furious' ? - a stretch. Darcy applauds abortion ? - No way in this lifetime.

    I would suspect the State Democratic Chair has called her by now. Withdrawing now is best all around. The First district deserves better.

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Moondoggie wrote...
    Please stand up if...
    June 14, 2012 5:03 pm
    you think Darcy is lying about her "high risk" pregnancy.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • ron prevost wrote...
    but, hold your applause
    June 14, 2012 5:22 pm
    until everyone is standing.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • kata wrote...
    @moondoggie
    June 14, 2012 5:25 pm
    http://wayback.archive.org/web/*/http://www.darcyburner.com/aboutdarcy.php
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • irony wrote...
    honesty is not her best trait.
    June 14, 2012 5:40 pm
    to think that abortion by default is the norm and pro life is by default anti choice tells you a lot about the twisted views she has. pro life has been around since the beginning of humanity. it's only been in the radical liberal cultures that have grown up at different times in history where people have become so violent as to be willing to harm a defenseless unborn human. face it people fetal tissue is latin for baby tissue.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Paul Kersey wrote...
    she got the high cheek bones
    June 14, 2012 5:41 pm
    obviously from the same tribe as Elizabeth Warren.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • irony wrote...
    many people over the years have told their story
    June 14, 2012 5:42 pm
    about how they were told the labor would be long and the baby would die,,, only to find out during delivery that the baby came out in less than an hour and in perfect health. pro choicers will lie thru their teeth to get what they want. fortuneatly there are billions of people on the planet who don't agree with them and will prevail over the pro death of the pro choice movement.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Cash wrote...
    What a loon
    June 14, 2012 5:42 pm
    Anyone who votes for her is a loon too...
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • eddiewhite wrote...
    moondoggie...
    June 14, 2012 5:44 pm
    not only do I stand up, I put up a ladder and stand on top of that. And to believe this lady could of represented us in the U.S. Congress makes me feel icky. Please Linda could you mention the lack of reaction from the gay community when a fruit loop femenazi compares them to baby killers? I guess thats too much to ask from journalism here. Cant wait to hear about the Abortion Pride Parade and see the Abortion Flag flying on top of the Space Needle. This lady cant be for real
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • R L M 456 wrote...
    not only do I stand up, I put up a ladder and stand on top of that
    June 15, 2012 4:33 am
    Eddie

    You realize that to stand on top of a ladder is an OSHA and WISHA violation....

    Careful, would not want to see you hurt Yourself.

    PS I support your position 100%.

    and you wonder why the common citizen has NO respect for Congress??

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • maplefish wrote...
    This Woman is an Idiot
    June 14, 2012 5:51 pm
    And a Liar and a Fraud and Wahck-job and a......oh wait, she's a Democrat. Now it all makes sense....Nuff said
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • SnoqualmiePhil wrote...
    Maplefish....Democrat?
    June 15, 2012 10:45 am
    Maplefish, Your ignorance in grouping your view on Burners actions with "Democrats" is a very narrow minded view. Do you judge everyone by the political affiliation? This is not a pro-life/pro-choice issue nor a political stance. It is a question of whether it is appropriate to "celebrate" abortion. Burner's actions are deplorable. I highly doubt that the pro-choice groups want to "celebrate" an abortion. They simply think that a woman has a right to choose and that there are situations where such an act may ne neccesary. I am not saying I agree or disagree with the abortion tpoic since this is about Burner not Pro-life. She has questionable views and beliefs if she thinks people should stand up and be proud of their abortion. But, I am a Decmocrat. I dont think that has anything to do with Burner's remarks. If simply being a Democrat "makes sense" to you then you may want to take a hard look at how you catagozie people. "......oh wait, she's a Democrat. Now it all makes sense....Nuff said" "Nuff said"? You should open your mind a bit.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
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