Sally Field reveals traumatic illegal abortion, urges support for Kamala Harris

Sally Field recently shared to Rolling Stone, a personal and painful story about her illegal abortion at the age of 17, using her experience to stress the importance of voting in the 2024 election to protect reproductive rights. In an emotional Instagram post, the actress detailed the harrowing procedure she underwent in Mexico in 1964, nine years before Roe v. Wade ensured legal access to abortion in the U.S.

Field, who had previously shared her story in her 2018 memoir In Pieces, reiterated the details of her experience to highlight the ongoing threat to abortion access following the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade in 2022. At 17, Field found herself pregnant with no financial support and limited family resources. She recounted how a family friend, a doctor, took her to Tijuana for the procedure, which she described as "life-altering."

During the illegal abortion, Field recalled being given minimal anesthesia while enduring significant pain. The trauma was compounded by an incident of sexual abuse during the procedure. “The technician was actually molesting me,” she revealed, adding that she had to physically push him away.

Despite the horrors of her experience, Field expressed gratitude toward the doctor who helped her, risking his career to provide her with a necessary procedure at a time when legal options were unavailable. “These are the things that women are going through now, when they’re trying to get to another state, they don’t have the money, they don’t have the means, they don’t know where they’re going,” Field explained.

Field’s post is part of her larger effort to advocate for reproductive rights and support political candidates who champion women's access to healthcare. "It’s one of the reasons why so many of us are supporting Kamala Harris and Tim Walz," she said, urging people to vote in the 2024 election. "PLEASE. WE CAN’T GO BACK!!"

Field emphasized that protecting reproductive freedom is not just a political issue but a deeply personal one for millions of women across the country. As states continue to enact restrictive abortion laws, she stressed the need for everyone to "stand up and fight."

Field’s advocacy comes at a critical time as reproductive rights remain at the forefront of the national debate, with Harris and Walz running on a platform that includes restoring federal protections for abortion access.