
While it wasnât totally shocking for a Shonda Rhimes show to have an abortion scene, that episode of Scandal last year was a significant moment for primetime TV. Kerry Washington talked about its impact in an interview with WWD this week.
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In the episode, which aired last November, Olivia Pope has an abortion after finding out sheâs pregnant with (presumably) President Fitzâs baby. Despite getting criticism about the scene from crazies on Twitter, Washington told WWD how crucial it is to see realistic scenarios like that portrayed on TV.
â[Abortion is] a reality, and more often than not, itâs a really difficult choice to make. The same was true for Olivia,â she says. âBut by not having those moments represented in media, we add to the idea that thereâs something shameful to be talked about. Itâs always important that our storytelling reflects the real experiences of human beings, because it allows us to not feel as alone.â
While promoting her OPI nail collection in the interview, Kerry also explained her role as Anita Hill in HBOâs Confirmation, out later this year. Hillâs sexual harassment accusations against Supreme Court Judge Clarence Thomas were âa huge topic of conversation at home, a very complicated issue,â says Washington.
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âThe question we often ask ourselves with the whole he said/she said â who was telling the truth? I had the feeling that more was going on, and the more research we did, the more complicated it got,â says Washington âWe all need to remember this story. The hearings put sexual harassment on the table and changed our cultural conversation around gender and sexuality at work and around victimsâ rightsâand about racismâon a national stage.â
Contact the author at clover.hope@jezebel.com.
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