Chelsea Handler's Stance On Abortion And Birth Control Is Pretty Simple

The stage is set for a political discussion between conservative commentator Tomi Lahren and liberal TV show host Chelsea Handler on Saturday, July 29 at Politicon, an annual conference in California. You know this spells entertainment, and not just because Handler is a comedian. If past is prologue, the debate will be fierce. The two women are diametrically opposed on pretty much everything pertaining to politics in general, and Handler's stance on abortion and birth control is likely to butt heads with Lahren's stance.

While Lahren has come out publicly as pro-choice, she's a wild card on the topic of abortion. By contrast, it's not hard to ascertain what Handler thinks of women's right to choose. She penned an essay in Playboy last year in which she opened up about her own experiences with not one but two abortions Handler had at the age of 16. She wrote,

Getting unintentionally pregnant more than once is irresponsible, but it's still necessary to make a thoughtful decision. We all make mistakes all the time. I happened to fuck up twice at the age of 16. I'm grateful that I came to my senses and was able to get an abortion legally without risking my health or bankrupting myself or my family. I'm 41 now. I don't ever look back and think, 'God, I wish I'd had that baby.'

In the essay, she credits Planned Parenthood as the clinic that provided her with a "safe" procedure, and time and again, she's stood by the organization.

In the essay, Handler expressed confidence that the abortion battle was mostly won and a thing of the past, stating that she didn't believe Roe v. Wade "is in danger." After several states have made efforts in the last few months to roll back pro-choice protections, that might be a topic that comes up in tomorrow's debate.

As for the principle of a woman's right to choose, Handler was crystal clear in her piece:

[I]t's a wrap on men deciding what women can do with their bodies.

It should be noted that Lahren, of her many confusing statements on abortion, has also said that it's not the government's right to decide what to do with women's bodies.

The last sentence in Handler's essay might be foreshadowing for Saturday's debate:

I'd love for somebody to try to tell me what to do with my body. I dare them.

And if you're wondering what other topics Lahren and Handler could battle over, look no further than Handler and Lahren's stances on health care.