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My Foetus
Educating or innapropriate for TV?
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THINKTV
Filmmaker Julia Black is heavily pregnant and her foetus is
forcing her to address the abortion debate. Julia believes a
pervasive silence surrounds the physical reality of abortion
so it has become easy to be pro-choice without challenging what
that really means. In this unique documentary she takes the
viewer on her personal journey to find out whether she could
still be pro-choice when confronted by the reality of abortion.
She meets with people from different sides of the debate and,
for the first time on British television, shows both an abortion
procedure at four weeks of pregnancy, an inspection of aborted
foetal remains of a seven week pregnancy and images of 10, 11
and 21 week aborted foetuses. By the end of her journey Julia
herself remains pro-choice - believing women should not be forced
to bear children they do not want - but the film leaves it to
the viewer to decide which side they fall. "Having looked
at the facts, uncomfortable as they are, you have to make up
your own mind as to which life takes priority. That decision
is a moral one," Julia says.
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Kim Sillitoe
April 04
I was HORRIFIED to hear that next Tuesday they are broadcasting
an abortion on Channel 4 ('My Foetus' - 20th April).
I'm not usually one to protest ('disgusted of Nantwich')
- however, this has left me feeling absolutely sick to the
pit of my stomach and I don't know what to do with myself.
I had trouble eating my dinner tonight.
I thought Channel 4 was a pretty tactless/tasteless channel,
but I didn't think it was possible for them to sink even lower.
Now a poor defenceless baby is going to be sacrificed in front
of an audience of thousands on Channel 4.
I'm disgusted that Channel 4 is airing this 'snuff movie'
(for that's what it is), and I won't be watching anything
on Channel 4 again, out of principle.
It's really upset me that a TV channel can go this far. It's
not been commissioned for any positive reason - it's televised
murder, and is just pure ratings fodder - and it will definitely
achieve its aim - to shock people to the core.
Please do not go ahead and air this programme. There ARE
limits!
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Sean Lomas
April 04
I think that it is so typical of a degraded society (Ours in
case you hadn't guessed) that this sort of thing is allowed
to be aired. Its all about the publicity that this shameful
TV station is getting. The programme chiefs must be rubbing
their hands with glee at all of the press attention. Spare a
thought for the real victims of this. I'll spell it out for
them as they haven't a clue. The poor mothers. Those that have
had and lost through miscarriage or have had to endure the pain
of an abortion. What is to be gained by the airing of this programme,
will the world be a better place. Will people be more informed
and so, like buying a model of car think 'no perhaps not? Grow
up Channel 4 you are a disgrace to your viewers and the women
of Britain.
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Karen Smith
April 04
Thank you for showing one of the most undercover subjects known
to mankind, I found it very informative and educational, things
like this should be shown more often and to a younger age group,
then maybe (just maybe) the rate of unwanted teenage pregnacies
might begin to fall. Lets have more like it.
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Kerry Healy
April 04
I feel that last night's programme, although quite upsetting
in parts, was ultimately a good move. I think describing it
as a 'snuff movie' is ridiculous, especially considering the
lady who made the comment hadn't actually even seen the footage.
I personally was very worried about seeing the actual abortion
taking place, but it was a 4-week one they showed, and there
was nothing visible to the naked eye apart from tissue, and
therefore was nowhere near as offensive as we all probably imagined
it would be.
The content of the programme, although quite upsetting, definitely
needed to be voiced. I think there are probably far too many
people who are completely ignorant to the real facts behind
the procedure, and whom would maybe feel differently about
it all after learning the truth.
I agree completely with having the freedom of choice when
it comes to abortions, but I think in order to be able to
make the decision, you should first become knowledgeable and
understand all the facts behind it.
Well done to Channel 4 for going ahead with the broadcast
- I'm sure it will have opened up many people's eyes in a
positive, thought-provoking way.
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Louise
April 04
This shocking and hard hitting programme was tasteless. But
16 weeks ago I found out I am pregnant. I spoke to my doctor
about abortion as I'm only 21. I felt this programme helped
me show those close to me the reasons why I couldnt go through
with this procedure. Maybe if this programme was shown to the
younger generation they would think about the emotions and results
their sexual actions could lead to.
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Jane
April 04
I was curious to see what all the fuss was about regarding the
programme 'My Feotus' on channel 4 so I switch over the TV to
watch it.
To my horror I realised why the public did not want this programme
to be aired due it's detailed photographic content. I was so
upset to see the pictures which were shown without no warning
that i felt physically sick and extremely upset. I also feel
for the people in this country who have had no choice but to
abort a pregnancy due to various unavoidable reasons.
It's far too late now for anything to be changed by Channel
4 as the damage has been done I just hope Channel 4 don't ever
shown anything so disturbing in the future. It's cruel and unfair
to remind people of the trauma that they've been through by
watching something that they may have thought could have helped
them grieve through their difficult decision.
I am disappointed with the decision to air the programme
and feel the least channel 4 can do is to give the public
a sincere apology.
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Gemma Robinson
April 04
I was horrified at the images shown on the channel 4 'documentary'
'my feotus'. It made me physically sick to see a dismembered
feotus, which had no bearing on the 'discussion' anyway, as
it was a one sided debate. The programme did not discuss the
reasons why women choose to have an anbortion, or the circumstances
surrounding abortions. This is yet another example of channel
4 using shock tactics and deceptive pr to gain a few extra ratings.
This seriously cannot be considered as a serious, unbiased,
factual discussion as there were only views from one side of
the arguement and a few distasteful images. The reality of abortion
and why so many women chose it, are those women themselves.
If they were invited to express their views on abortion and
tell their stories on the show, I feel the public would be able
to take an educated view of abortion and showing such disturbing
images would be justified.
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N M
April 04
Having just watched tonight's heavily publicised 'My Foetus',
I have to admit to being slightly disappointed with the programme.
Rather than providing an intelligent and balanced presentation
of the abortion debate, the long lingering shots of the writer
stroking her heavily pregnant belly, moody b & W images
and the slow motion swimming shots, led me to believe that it
was little more than an exercise in her own vanity.
Is a half hour show enough to consider the abortion debate?
No. The whole crux of this programme appeared to be nothing
more than just a lead-in to some shots of aborted foetuses.
Such a poorly considered and cheaply undertaken project which
served to do little more than break as many abortion broadcasting
taboos as possible does little justcie for either side to
this debate.
Interesting that the woman who was having this procedure
undertaken at the end of the documentary did not have her
own story divulged - surely a summary of her situation should
have been presented to truly present a balanced item? I felt
that the surgery at the end was effectively an afterthought,
a last desperate attempt to fill the last 5 minutes - not
with any rationale or meaningful debate - but with a cheap
floor show for which we were not told the full story
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Rosemary Till
April 04
The claim that this programme was removing the final tabbo on
abortion was totally hypocritical. What we were shown was a
4 week abortion, and the contents of the uterus looked nothing
like a baby because it was carried out so early. This will give
people a false sense of security. The truth is most abortions
are carried out after 4 weeks gestation, and although the doctor
who performed the abortion said she wouldn't look for limbs
on a 9 week foetus, in fact we had already seen a 3D picture
of a 9 week foetus and the limbs were clearly visible. This
film was designed to make people feel better about having an
abortion; it was one-sided and hypocritical.
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