Studying Time: 3 minutes
Lily Allen is opening up about her historical past of abortions.
She ignored one element: the quantity that she has had.
Not as a result of she needs to protect that component of privateness — however as a result of she isn’t positive of the precise determine.
The singer’s admission helps others — together with her co-host — converse up about their very own histories.
On her podcast, Lily Allen mirrored upon her historical past with contraception and abortion. (Picture Credit score: YouTube/BBC)
Lily Allen used to ‘get pregnant all the time’
Throughout this week’s episode of their Miss Me? podcast, co-hosts Lily Allen and Miquita Oliver mentioned contraception and abortion.
Along with issues like delving right into a topical gel with low unwanted effects that ought to assist most males keep away from inflicting undesirable pregnancies, in addition they touched upon undesirable pregnancies themselves and the abortions that resolved them.
“I’d get pregnant all the time, all the time,” Allen recalled throughout the Tuesday, July 1 episode.
Lily Allen attends The Serpentine Gallery Summer season Occasion 2025 at Serpentine on June 24, 2025. (Picture Credit score: Joe Maher/Getty Photos)
“Abortions, I’ve had a few,” Allen mirrored. “But then again, I can’t remember exactly how many.”
Turning to guesswork, the singer urged: “I think maybe like, I want to say five? Four or five.”
Precise numbers are troublesome to know because of stigma and private security considerations.
However, in America, about six in ten of those that have abortions are already pregnant. Moreover, about half of these within the US who are available for an abortion have had one earlier than.
Talking about abortion helps others to share their tales
Co-host Miquita Oliver piped up after Lily Allen shared her historical past, revealing that she had undergone “about five, too.”
She added: “Lily, I’m so happy I can say that and you can say it and no one came to shoot us down, no judgment.”
Oliver identified: “We’ve had about the same amount of abortions.”
Singer Lily Allen poses on the crimson carpet upon arrival to attend the West Finish world premiere of “Stranger Things: The Last Shadow” stage play on the Phoenix Threatre in central London on December 14, 2023. (Picture Credit score: JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP through Getty Photos)
“I remember once getting pregnant and the man paying for my abortion,” Allen recalled. “And me thinking it was so romantic.”
She is now 40, and her concepts of romantic gestures have matured since then.
“I don’t think it’s generous or romantic,” she added. “How much is it, like, 500 quid? Kids are a lot more expensive.” She is correct about that.
Allen furnished: “I have an IUD now. I think I’m on my third, maybe fourth. I just remember before that was a complete disaster area.”
Lily Allen joins Olivia Rodrigo on stage to duet her music ‘Smile’ at The O2 Area on Could 17, 2024. (Picture Credit score: Nicky J Sims/Getty Photos for Stay Nation)
How will we finish the stigma?
Lily Allen is a rich celeb out of the country, her life far faraway from what seems like America’s closing years. However there’s additionally hope.
A few a long time in the past, this dialog would have been far more controversial. And a century in the past, it might have been much less — as a result of abortion is, politically talking, a manufactured wedge situation to drive unhealthy votes for unhealthy politicians.
Allen helps issues by discussing this matter. Having abortions shouldn’t be a supply of disgrace or of satisfaction, like nearly some other medical process. It’s a part of her previous, and her sincere dialogue will help others perceive that they aren’t alone.
Additionally, if Allen can’t bear in mind the precise quantity, doesn’t that spotlight how easy the closely stigmatized process typically is?
