[Content Note: War on agency.]
I expect that this is going to be subjected to a lot of mendacious misrepresentation, so I figured I'd do a quick post on it. Hillary Clinton appeared on The View and said that being personally pro-life isn't incompatible with feminism. You can already imagine how this is being spun.
Anyway, the clip is viewable here, and here is the transcript: "I respect the opinions and beliefs of every woman. The reason why being pro-choice is the right way to go is because it is a choice. And hopefully a choice that is rooted in the thoughtfulness and the care that women bring to this decision. So, of course you can be a feminist and be pro-life."
It's pretty clear to me, given that she straight-up says "being pro-choice is the right way to go," that she means it's eminently possible for feminists to be personally pro-life.
There are, naturally, legions of women, including many feminists, who are personally pro-life—meaning they could not envision getting an abortion themselves—and politically pro-choice—meaning they want abortion legal and accessible for any people who do need and/or want abortions.
Basically, Clinton is right: There's no reproductive choice any woman makes for herself that is inherently incompatible with feminism. It's when anyone starts trying to legislate or coerce other people's choices that it becomes incompatible with feminism. And decency.
Which is indeed why bring pro-choice is the right way to go.
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