Sally Field has shared heartbreaking details of the illegal abortion she had in Mexico when she was just 17.
The 77-year-old actress – who endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris in September – told the “horrific story” in an Instagram post on Sunday.
“I’m still very ashamed of it because I grew up in the 1950s and it’s ingrained in me,” said Mrs. Doubtfire star on Instagram.
‘I have been so hesitant to do this, to tell my horrific story. It was once worse than it is now. A time when contraception was not readily available and only if you were married.
“But I feel like so many women of my generation have experienced similar, traumatic events, and I feel stronger when I think about them. I believe that, like me, they should want to fight for their grandchildren and all the young women of this country.”
Sally Field has shared heartbreaking details about the illegal abortion she had in Mexico when she was just 17 years old
Field pictured in 1967, when she was about twenty
She explained that she had “no choices, family support or finances” at the time.
“I graduated high school, but no one ever said, ‘What about college?’ Nothing. I didn’t know what I would become.
“And then I found out I was pregnant.”
She said a family doctor and his wife, who were family friends, drove her and her mother to Tijuana, Mexico, in their brand new Cadillac.
In harrowing detail, she went on to say: “We parked on a very dirty looking street. It was scary and he parked about three blocks away and said, “See that building down there?”
“And he gave me an envelope with cash and I had to walk into that building and give them the cash and then come right back to him.”
Sally described the abortion, which occurred before the now-overturned Supreme Court ruling of Roe v. Wade, as “extremely horrible and life-changing.”
The procedure was performed without anesthesia, with just a technician giving me a few puffs of ether, but then taking it away, leaving my arms and legs feeling numb and weird, but I felt everything – how much pain I felt. was inside.’
To make matters worse, Field realized that the technician was actually harassing her, so I had to figure out: How can I get my arms to move to push him away?
‘So it was just an absolute disgrace. And when it was done, they said, ‘Go, go, go, go!’ as if the building was on fire. They didn’t want me there; You know, it was illegal.”
The 77-year-old actress – who endorsed presidential candidate Vice President Kamala Harris in September – told the “horrific story” in an Instagram post on Sunday
To get her audience involved, the Mrs. Doubtfire star started a video saying, “I’m still very embarrassed about it [my abortion] because I grew up in the 1950s and it was ingrained in me.”
Field praised the doctor for his “generosity” and “courage” in helping her, explaining that “he would have lost his license if anyone had found out.”
In her caption, she said reproductive rights are “one of the reasons so many of us support Kamala Harris and Tim Walz.”
“Everyone, please pay attention to this election, up and down the ballot, in every state – especially those with ballot initiatives that could protect reproductive freedom. Please. We can’t go back!’
Finally, she wrote, “So here is my story. I would be honored if you would tell me yours, if you can.”
Field pictured in 2023
Field returned to social media weeks ago when Harris, 59, officially accepted the 2024 presidential nomination at the Democratic National Convention.
She wrote online at the time: ‘I haven’t been on social media. Not since it became public toilet paper for our former crook of a president. But ‘hope is making a comeback.’ So here I am. This is me.’
In a follow-up post, she continued to encourage her followers to get involved in the election.
‘The hope is there. In the middle of the room with me and my 18 year old, recently registered grandson to vote. I shout from the highest mountaintop I can find. Vote for our country, our children and grandchildren. Vote for the earth and women and human rights. Vote for democracy. Vote for @kamalaharris and @timwalz. Please dear God,” the caption read.
