‘Jurassic World‘ franchise star Bryce Dallas Howard took to advocating for women’s rights in a novel way, by sharing her accidental pregnancy story on Instagram. While Howard’s story is not an abortion one, she says it’s the fact that she had a choice that “empowered her” to make a decision.
Today, after the Jun 24th SCOTUS decision overturning Roe V. Wade and giving states the power to decide on abortion laws, millions of women across America have lost the right to legal, safe abortion in their home states. Bryce Dallas Howard says she’s “devastated” and her fans have gone off the deep end of the debate over her post.
Bryce Dallas Howard ‘Empowered’ With Choice
Howard shared a throwback picture of her honeymooning in Turkey. She wears a simple black tube dress with a scarf tied over her shoulders, holding a bottle of water and cradling her stomach.
Wrote the 41-year-old star, “The day this photo was taken, I learned that all the barfing was not the flu, not food poisoning, and not sea sickness — I was pregnant. I instantly was elated — I mean look at my face, look at my body language, I’m pretending I’m already showing. My sweet husband took a little time to process but quickly was just as excited as me. We never for a moment had to consider anything other than what was right for my health, our family, our futures, and the futures of our child/ children.”
Howard got married to actor Seth Gabel in 2006 after they dated for five years. Soon after the pregnancy, Howard discovered she was pregnant. She wrote in her Instagram post, “My first pregnancy, I was 25 and my husband was 24. We were newly married and the pregnancy was accidental. We were using birth control methods and I had not missed my period. When we were on our honeymoon in Turkey, I felt so tired and ill, but I was convinced I had the flu. As I said, I had NOT missed a period.”
Since Howard had their first child son Theodore in 2007, it’s obvious she carried the pregnancy to term. But Howard’s happy story has a message for all the women who do not have the right to choose anymore, and it’s one of support.
She went on to say that she immediately visited the OB-GYN, and discovered she was 12 weeks along, something that surprises her to this day.
Bryce Dallas Howard Says She’s ‘Devastated’
Howard says honestly that motherhood is not easy. The actress has been open about the fact that she had severe post-natal depression after the birth of her son, though the couple also went on to have another child, daughter Beatrice, in 2012.
Said the “Rocketman” actress, “With an accidental pregnancy, motherhood started earlier for me than I would have planned for myself, but because I was legally free to make choices for my own body, I was able to make the choice to start my family. I felt empowered by this choice. And knowing that I made a choice to start a family is what saved me time and time again when I had some of my darkest thoughts and feelings in the years that followed when I suffered from severe postnatal depression.
Bryce Dallas Howard, a mother of two, then lends support to all women protesting against SCOTUS decision to reverse Roe V. Wade, resulting in many states wholly or partially banning abortion across the U.S.
“I am devastated for the people whose freedom has been ripped away. The families and individuals who will be affected. I am heartbroken for the senseless losses that will inevitably come when people are refused lifesaving medical care.”
Fans applauded her stance, one saying, “THIS! Accidental pregnancies happen and it’s empowering to be able to choose. Not everyone is in a good and healthy relationship. Not everyone has the means to provide for themselves, let alone another human being.”
Here’s Howard, defining her stand.
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Quotes Co-Star DeWanda Wise
Howard left her fans with a message from her “Jurassic World: Dominion” co-star DeWanda Wise, “To Gen Z specifically, radical movements in this country have historically been youth movements. Now is not the time to feel disempowered. Commit yourselves to one course of action, an organization, a cause, and show up again, and again, and again. This is life work.”
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While most lauded Howard’s view, there were some who tried to argue about how abortions are nothing short of murder, although they were shut down rather quickly by Instagrammers.
And some have hope, “Thank you for sharing your story ❤️ Devastated to hear what America has come to. Felt like going back 60 years. But I deeply admire DeWanda’s words, and everyone’s fighting spirit, cause this is what American women need now. Hopefully, it’ll become the land of the free again one day.”
