“The View” co-host Sherri Shepherd had a low point in her life when she was “sleeping with a lot of guys and had more abortions than I would like to count,” she told Precious Times.
It wasn’t until converting to Christianity that the talk show host found her way.
“God showed me that it would make a difference,” said Shepherd, who said that faith helped her through a rough divorce from Jeff Tarpley, whom she says cheated on her and got another woman pregnant.
“Shepherd also said it’s hard to talk about religion on the popular ABC show.
TheStateOf . . . Sherri Shepherd. What do y’all think of women who openly discuss their abortion(s)? I saw today on the show that co-host Joy Behar complained that society “demonizes abortion.” Uh, yeah…(insert sarcasm).
I think when women have multiple abortions as a birth control method it trivializes them and these are the instances that the anti-abortion/pro-birth crowd seize on to make abortions seem to be the providence of hyper-promiscuous and irresponsible women.
But Shepard’s revelation shouldn’t be a surprise since it’s obvious with the high unplanned pregnancy rate in the black community that we just don’t use birth control AT ALL!!
It’s mean to say but Sherri confirms it for me time and time again, she’s an idiot in my book. Everything she says is off the wall and makes no sense to me, and she thinks it’s hilarious or takes it lightly.
I don’t know any women personally who have had abortions, or at least none who have shared that information with me. I think if you are comfortable enough to discuss them with someone than that is your choice. But I would be Leary of the context and the audience. In this case I believe some women would be offended by what Sherri said.
Abortion is not something taken lightly and the way she presented hers was as if the act was just something she did, and didn’t even think about.
But then again you cannot make someone care. So to each his/her own. In this case, Sherri has just opened that wide trap of a mouth again.
Right Roderick, that’s how dumb she sounds as if Blacks don’t use birth control. She’d rather just keep having abortions instead.
Sheesh!
In all fairness, the woman said she was in a bad place in her life.
But I am always suspicious of these holy roiller type Christians. There’s always a backstory. Now we know Sherri’s.
She ain’t too bright on ‘The View’ but she can sure give away stuff to the audience extraordinarily well.
Tish: It’s mean to say but Sherri confirms it for me time and time again, she’s an idiot in my book. Everything she says is off the wall and makes no sense to me, and she thinks it’s hilarious or takes it lightly.
When I heard that she wasn’t sure if the earth were flat, all l could do was shake my head.
I always wondered why the show needed two blacks on the panel at once unless they were trying to make up for not having a black on while Rosie was the moderator or for mistreating Star Jones.
Sheri Shepherd is only keeping it real. Many of those that lived during the “sexually liberated” 60’s had MANY abortions themselves. They now feel that since they found God, and have a family they can they’re now holier than thou…
You’d be suprised at the skeletons these women keep from their own families, Sheri Shepherd is not ashamed to let her own out….
I am trying to gather why her comments are saying that she is holier than thou? From what I read she is stating what she used to do before she found her spiritual base. So maybe you explain to me the holier than thou part and the ‘holy roller’ part? What exactly makes her a holy roller?
Soteria-
I’m talking about the critics of her revelations, acting as if they’re holier than thou. When they themselves have skeletons that even their families are unaware of.
Gotcha Leke….I guess I’m running at half tank this morning…let me go get some caffeine!
Ms. Magazine has had a “We Had Abortions” campaign going, to encourage women to proudly declare they had abortions.
http://www.msmagazine.com/radar/2006-07-24-we-had-abortions.asp
This isn’t about Sheri Shepherd or her critics, this is about normalizing something THAT SHOULD NOT BE NORMAL. Making it publicly acceptable to brag about abortions desensitizes people to the nature of abortion.
It makes several abortions the equivalent of several face lifts or having a boob job.
That is evil.
I read somewhere that abortion statistics are skewed because most women have 0 abortions, but a small minority of women have like 5 or 6. It’s kinda like taking the Bar Exam. If you fail once, you’ll most likely fail twice, three, four times…
Soteria,
I start everyday with coffee and TSO. And if my coffee-maker is still going, I wait to log on.
I wonder how many STD’s she contracted during that time. Too many to count? Do you realize how many abortions that must mean? Wow.
The worst I have seen in a clinical setting (in Los Angeles) was a woman who was 29 years old, was in the clinic with her 28th or so pregnancy and had at least 25 abortions; and she didn’t want this one either! She was there for evaluation for—you guessed it—-another abortion!
I hate to break it to you guys but there are more women who have had abortions than you can shake a stick at.
And rest assured the women come in all shapes and sizes — married, single, rich, poor, black, white, religious, secularist, educated and dumb as bricks.
The way that I see it, Sherri is one of the more honest among us.
I’m opposed to abortion, personally, but I’m conflicted on whether I think it should be legal or not. Most importantly, I’m just glad I’ve never been involved with one, and I have compassion for those that have been.
In any case, what irks me is people like Joy Behar - those who talk about abortion as if the so-called “right to choose” is the only relevant issue. People are too flippant about it.
Dina: It makes several abortions the equivalent of several face lifts or having a boob job.
That is evil.
No what is evil is people not understanding that abortions are a symptom of none use of birth control and/or promiscuity or which is in itself a symptom of something deeper and more disturbing.
But it’s easier for some of us to sit on our holier than thou pedestal with our clean hands and call abortion evil and and call the women who have abortions or children out of wedlock whores rather than figure out what went wrong with these women and how to help them get back on track.
Anonymous,
This isn’t about whether women have had abortions. It’s about whether they are proud of it.
The more we normalize aberrant behaviors, the farther off center we are from any sense of morality.
Honest, shmonest. Americans have this funny thing that if everyone is just honest about what they’ve done, it somehow transforms what they’ve done into something acceptable. It makes all of us the priesthood to whom anyone confesses their sins and, with magic pixie dust, everything is ok.
I’ve heard guys run that line before. Confess they cheated on girlfriend and then be upset because the fact he was honest about it didn’t wipe the slate clean with regard to his infidelity. As if to say - as long as I am honest about it, it’s ok I did it. That’s a lame line for manipulative people.
Now, before the myopic simpletons of the crowd jump down my throat, I’m not advocating lying. I am simply saying that some things don’t need to be put on blast as badges of honor. And abortion is one of them. If that’s something a woman thinks is ok to announce on national tv, she’s got issues.
Roderick,
You’ve been quite adept these days at missing the point. That’s quite a talent you’ve got there. For someone with a brain to learn how to turn it off so often.
Since she didn’t say exactly how many she had, “more than she’d like to recall” is completely relative. It could be 2, or it could be 10.
And in the context of her comments, she wasn’t bragging. She was talking about a low point in her life and how her spirituality got her through the dark days. The reformed sinner. Geez, cut her some slack.
AND: Saying “I had more abortions that I can count” is NOT the same statement as “I had more abortions than I would like to count.”
The only thing i don’t like is how she trivializes this loss of life. One of my best friends had two abortions that really took a huge toll on her mentally, emotionally, physically. It’s not fair to young women to hear something like this without the true story of how hard it is and the repercussions. It’s desensitizing. Her tone is that if you can get over the shame and be honest about it, then you’re okay, but it’s so much deeper than that.
D,
Ima jump in here. I dont think Sherri was “proud.” Frankly, I dont think any woman whose had that experience would be. And of course, abortion is not a good look. But I agree with Anonymous that its easier to vilify folks when their standing alone airing their dirt. If your sister, your best friend and your mom were standing with her, admitting that they could relate to her story, even if by having only 1 abortion instead of “too many to count,” the issue would take on a different tone.
Dina,You’ve been quite adept these days at missing the point. That’s quite a talent you’ve got there. For someone with a brain to learn how to turn it off so often.
Another shoot the messenger instead of actually critiquing what I said. Oh well par for the course from the peanut gallery.
Another shoot the messenger instead of actually critiquing what I said. Oh well par for the course from the peanut gallery.
Funny you should mention that Roderick. I don’t need to critique what you said because it’s red herring - as usual.
You never respond to the substance of a comment but, rather, respond with the predictable laundry list of accusations of “conspiracy theory”, “being holier than thou”, “intolerant” or whatever meme CNN told you is ok to spout.
See, my friend, here’s the difference between you and I. This ain’t personal. If someone makes a good point, I give them props and say “good point”, “amen” or call for a standing ovation even if yesterday we were having a heated debate about something.
You, on the other hand, wearing your hot pink sash with your rainbow flag, pick sides and always attack the messenger regardless of the substance of the comment. So I don’t respond to your comments because they have no credibility. You just want to pick a fight like a catty biyatch.
It wouldn’t matter if I chimed in and said “the sky is blue”.
Your response would go something like this -
Dina: The sky is blue
Roderick: I really wish these conspiracy theorists would quit distracting from our discussion of the sky. I mean, you’re so holier than thou thinking you know what color the sky is. Don’t you know statistics show there are people out there who think it is purple and only an intolerant bigot would discount their feelings about the color of the sky.
And then you’d get some hyenas from the peanut gallery to chime in and say “who does that bitch think she is to say the sky is blue. If I am honest about it and state on national tv that I believe the sky is fuscia, that is my right. And anyone who disagrees with me is a bigot and evil and it is discrimination.”
LOL!! It’s hilarious.
RJEsq,
Do you air your dirt on national tv? Or do you have the dignity to choose a priest, your mother or your best friend?
This doesn’t apply to you, but what amazes me is that the hip hop haters in the crowd can’t insult hip hop fast enough about how it glorifies violence, encourages young Black boys to be criminals, insults women, yada, yada, yawn.
Aren’t these guys just talking about their experiences? Just being honest?
Talking about getting shot. Bad. Talking about getting an abortion. Great!! An honest, wonderful inspiring moment for all to see.
The duplicitous hypocrisy is nauseating.
Well yeah, if your point is that folks need to step their plain ol’ decorum game up, then absolutely, I agree 100%. Youre right, I would not air my dirty laundry on national TV.
But putting that part aisde (b/c that is the now the world in which we live), my only point was that folks who take issue with abortion itself, would undoubtedbly change their tone if they knew how many women were a part of the constituency.
The numbers are staggering, all encompassing and far reaching! I review medical records as part of my job in personal injury litigation. Unwanted pregnancy is not limited to the Shaniquas of the world.
so I am a catty bitch,huh?
You can call me whatever the hell you won’t but that just means that you have nothing to say that is of substance.
I would say call you a couple of things but l was raised right and I know how to treat other people and be respectful. Maybe you should try it.
I grew up with a lot of judgemental people like you and they were the most miserable human beings that I have ever met.
They spent most of their time putting people in boxes so they could have some false sense of security and believing that black helecopters were coming to get them.
But if it makes you feel better about yourself to throw stones at others then be my guest.
Don’t worry though one day someone is going to pick up one of those stones and knock you on your ass.
Where’s the love.. and maturity?
In my CLOSE circle of female associates, about a handful have had abortions. One has had four… There is a long mourning time for some, and not much for others (from my sight, which is an important factor).
Many dismiss the ‘hurt’ since abortion is a choice.
Messages as Sherri’s always have a chance to be taken for face value, sadly. I too wish all could know her story.. the depth of the whys and emptiness and new found glory.
Things only matter if you care about them.
Oh goodness, here we go - here’s the part where Roderick predictably plays the crying victim, and I get to be the villain.
So now, you’re projecting some psychological traumas from people you grew up with onto me.
Come on now. You’re a grown man. It’s undignified to play victim. But nice try. I am Dina, not the people you grew up with, so stop playing hurt.
You picked this fight. Not me. Because it is, in fact, you and people like you who are judgmental name callers. You accuse people of being conspiracy theorists, holier than thou, bigots, etc. and then cry when you get it back.
You should be able to take what you dish out. I do. I get 100x more shit from people on this blog than you ever do and you ain’t never heard me cry about people being judgmental name callers. If you’re going to step into the ring, quit your whining.
Anyhoo, I submit that what you call judgmental is actually more genuine. Love is truth. Truth is love.
No one can show love without being honest.
It is you and people like you who have been so conditioned to think bad is good and abnormal is normal that you think lying and self-censorship is love. So all you have left to offer to others is pity. Because it makes you feel superior. I treat others as grown-ups, you treat them like infants. You patronize them and appeal to their weaknesses.
Miserable. Nah. I have loving friends, a wonderful family. And they are the products of love. And love and truth go hand in hand. Sometimes it’s rough when it always heals in the end.
You should try it sometime Roderick.
Relax Rod,
Dina didn’t call you a catty biyatch. She was making a comparison.
She did however allude to you being a pink sash wearing rainbow sticker on the back of your car having queer. LMAO!
Rod, I’m only laughing cause I know you ain’t gay.
As rough as she is around the edges, Dina is right.
Sometimes it’s rough, BUT it always heals in the end.
Hey Dina,
What you wearing right now…Witcho sexy ass!
LOL!
Sorry RJEsq. Dina got me going today.
“Anyhoo, I submit that what you call judgmental is actually more genuine. Love is truth. Truth is love.
No one can show love without being honest.
It is you and people like you who have been so conditioned to think bad is good and abnormal is normal that you think lying and self-censorship is love. So all you have left to offer to others is pity. Because it makes you feel superior. I treat others as grown-ups, you treat them like infants. You patronize them and appeal to their weaknesses. ”
Maybe best thing ever written on TSO.
Sorry I am late to this party…
Dina you are missing the point. Your approach is to say that we need to sit back and shame people for the ‘evil’ things that they have done in the past. Sherri is saying that yes she made bad decisions in her past, but because of her relationship with God she ended her cycle of self destructive behavior and got her life on track. She got on TV to be a witness to others in her predicament that you can get through and start a new path.
I don’t think you can underestimate how courageous it is to get on national tv and admit to something like that. Especially in the face of people who sit around and judge somebody based on what they have done in the past. She is referring to redemption and her statements were bearing witness to other women who may be going through similar shame and hurt that they can get through it and that God is what helped her with the healing and recovery process.
Rod, you were on point…
NEW LAW:
We need a federal registry to track women having abortions and men who are knocking them up. After your 2nd…Time to get sterilized!!!
How’d you pick 2 as the magic number Colonized?
Dina: Anyhoo, I submit that what you call judgmental is actually more genuine. Love is truth. Truth is love.
No one can show love without being honest.
It is you and people like you who have been so conditioned to think bad is good and abnormal is normal that you think lying and self-censorship is love. So all you have left to offer to others is pity. Because it makes you feel superior. I treat others as grown-ups, you treat them like infants. You patronize them and appeal to their weaknesses. ”
Soteria: My question is how did Roderick lie? How is he pitying her? And how is he patronizing? I’m real curious about your take on his comments, since I didn’t see any of the above…
dang…she has some tig ol’ bitties
Paul,
Thanks for keeping us centered …
Sorry Sorteria……it took me a minute to get past the picture…..
Any woman using abortion as birth control should have been aborted.
Alright Paul. Here’s some pressure to offer a more in depth comment.
What exactly does “using abortion as a birth control method mean?”
As I understand it, abortion is ALWAYS used as a form of birth control. So were you saying that you are against abortion or were you trying to make some other distinction that I didnt grasp?
Dina you are missing the point. Your approach is to say that we need to sit back and shame people for the ‘evil’ things that they have done in the past.
No Soteria, you are missing the point.
Here is what I said above -
This isn’t about Sheri Shepherd or her critics, this is about normalizing something THAT SHOULD NOT BE NORMAL. Making it publicly acceptable to brag about abortions desensitizes people to the nature of abortion.
Have you seen the Ms. Magazine petition? Perhaps you should take a look at it. Then perhaps you will be able to connect the dots.
What if she said, “I had sex with more children than I’d like to count?” Would it be great and sweet because it would give solace and comfort to all the other pedophiles out there?
” What exactly does “using abortion as a birth control method mean?” -My Girl RJE
Wassup RJ,
It means thinking like this: “Hey, even if I’m not on the pill, and this dude doesn’t wear a rubber, I can always rely on the good old abortion.”
” Making it publicly acceptable to brag about abortions desensitizes people to the nature of abortion.” -Dina
Although I wouldn’t necessarily say she bragged about it, Dina is on the right track.
It is the same as over exposing our kids to sex or violence on TV. They eventually become desensitized to it, and lose the value of their bodies, or life for that matter.
Dina, you should rest your argument on this:
” This isn’t about Sheri Shepherd or her critics, this is about normalizing something THAT SHOULD NOT BE NORMAL. “
Thanks Big Wayne…you hit it.
Whenever you start using abortion as you primary method of birth control…there are some serious issues going on.
I agree with Dina that abortion should not be normalized to the point where it’s like taking the pill or putting on a condom.
For the sake of argument……I’m all for abortions in certain situations.
I would rather a teenage girl that slipped up, not ready mentally or financially to be a parent living in the projects with no baby daddy present….get an abortion.
Dang Paul. What about adoption? I agree that abortion should be a choice, but i find only a few instances when i agree with that choice.
I think we should be careful to single out teen mothers as those not fit to raise a child. Much more goes into it than money. Many teen girls that do make that mistake of getting pregnant by future deadbeats, actually go on to live fulfilling lives as wonderful mothers.
Besides, many teens that get abortions are pregnant again within 18 months. This tells you that we need to do more work on the front end, and that abortion has no place in the formula for a solution.
The notion that abortion is the answer for unwed pregnant teens is, IMO, the result of propaganda and feminist lobbying.
My baby sis got pregnant at 16 and my mom refused to pay for an abortion saying she’d be pregnant again next year. Sure enough, she had another baby when my nephew was just 2 that she gave up for adoption. Hands down the hardest and most mature thing she’s ever done.
I strongly believe that although the mistakes are the same, the actions taken to address the consequences shape these young women for years to come. i.e. a young mother with multiple CHILDREN, who seeks growth and maturity has a better chance to become a fulfilled woman than a multiple abortion having teenager.
By the way, she now operates a successful in-home daycare and is getting married next month. I’m not sure who she’d be had she gotten that abortion(s).
I guess all of this is to co-sign with Dina in a roundabout kind of way lol
“I think we should be careful to single out teen mothers as those not fit to raise a child. Much more goes into it than money. Many teen girls that do make that mistake of getting pregnant by future deadbeats, actually go on to live fulfilling lives as wonderful mothers.”
That’s deep Cookie.
The thing about Abortion … is that it requires people to pretend it is something else … in order to be OK with it.
That’s why it’s advocates changed the issue to “choice” and a “right”. Anything that stops a heartbeat is self-explanatory.
I think teenagers would get pregnant less and have fewer abortions if they were presented the truth about abortion instead of having it presented to them as “right” or an expression of freedom.
TEST:
Imagine if Sherri Shepherd had said
1) “I’ve beaten so many children, I can’t count.”
2) “I’ve had so many abortions, I can’t count.”
3) “I’ve ended the lives of so many children, I can count.”
People would have a completely different response to pretty much the exact same thing.
See why they call it “choice”?
2 was plucked out of the air. I prefer 1, but I know that would get shot down.
I agree with what you are trying to convey , Dina and co. Abortion is definitely something that should not be taken lightly. I don’t know if her comments eluded to a lack of seriousness about what she did or just the fact that she did a lot of things that she is not proud of, and now because of her spirituality she is changed.
On a separate note, I personally would not be down with an abortion…but I feel like I can definitely not stop the next person from doing if that if that is what they feel is best for them. At the end of the day, I am not going to raise their child, so if they do not feel that they are ready or prepared emotionally or otherwise then in my opinion they will do it - whether it is legal or not…might as well make sure that it is safe.
I went to Catholic High School USA and they showed us abortions on video…that was enough for me. I still don’t like to think about those videos…
Hey Soteria,
Those are very thoughtful points.
You certainly can’t stop someone from having an abortion, but what if your honest discussion of what abortion is would discourage someone from finding herself in the position to have one?
If we speak to young ladies about the saline solution used to burn the fetus alive and then the vacuum that sucks out the various body parts. Then the doctor counts all the body parts to make sure they got everything and they give it to a pharmaceutical company to make vaccines.
Do you think that would have an affect on a woman’s views on sex?
And is anyone else suspicious of these Black Women that seem to be handpicked for all this media attention resulting in them being the ‘new face’ for black women in america?
Although i appreciate her honesty in sharing her story, seriously, where did Sheri Sheppard come from and why is she on The View in the first place? These are questions we don’t often ask, but the answers to them would shed a lot of light on whole lot of bullshit.
I’m going home. Everybody have a great weekend!
Of course there are exceptions for everything….but most kids that get aborted would probably thank their parents considering the circumstances they potentially could be born into.
Real talk: Sometimes men just get caught up and circumstances get the best of us. I convinced (was not easy) a girl I was just phuggin’ to get one after the condom broke when I was in college (she said it was mine and I didn’t want to take chances and wait for a DNA test). Convincing her was the best decision I ever made. She is now a black porn star and has phugged everyone from Mr. Marcus to Mandingo. I can’t imagine raising a baby with her……would have been hell for everyone involved including the child. I’m sooooo glad abortion was an option.
Men…word to the wise: Never trust a big butt and a smile
PRO ABORTION.