Planned Parenthood joined the choir of voices without much positive to say about Netflix’s new Marilyn Monroe biopic Blondgiving an interview today youhat calls the film “anti-abortion propaganda”.
It is by THR, who has contacted the reproductive rights organization for comment on Andrew Dominik’s new film, which stars Ana De Armas as a version of the legendary Hollywood star, and which depicts two illegal abortions in the part of the web of trauma that led to Monroe’s death. (Including CGI-speaking fetuses that say things like, “You won’t hurt me this time, will you? “)
In response, Caren Spruch, national director of arts and entertainment engagement for the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, said THR that, “As film and television shape many people’s understanding of sexual and reproductive health, it is essential that these portrayals accurately depict women’s real decisions and experiences. Although abortion is a safe and essential health care, anti-abortion fanatics have long contributed to the stigma of abortion by using medically inaccurate descriptions of fetuses and pregnancy. Andrew Dominik’s new movie, Blondreinforces their message with a talking fetus in CGI, depicted as a fully formed baby.
Spuch added:
Planned Parenthood respects artistic license and freedom. However, the fake images only reinforce misinformation and perpetuate stigma around sexual and reproductive health care. Every pregnancy outcome – especially abortion – must be portrayed with sensitivity, authenticity and accuracy in the media. We still have a lot of work to do so that everyone who has an abortion can see themselves on screen. It is unfortunate that the creators of Blond chose to contribute anti-abortion propaganda and stigmatize people’s healthcare decisions instead.
Dominik has been criticized both for the content of the film itself – based on the book by Joyce Carol Oates – and for the press he gave around herin which he is suggested a kind of base disdain for the various Monroe films. Addressing the issue of abortion in a recent interview with The envelopehe suggested that the film is not anti-choice, and that misfortune to his depiction of abortion has its origins in the recent overturning of the Supreme Court’s decision Roe v. Wade. “NOTo we wouldn’t have cared if I had made the movie in 2008, and probably nobody will care four years from now.