LISTEN: Interview with Abby Johnson whose story is told in the movie ‘Unplanned’ which releases in Africa next week

Unplanned , a powerful film that tells the real-life story of Abby Johnson, the former director of a Planned Parenthood clinic who became an anti-abortion activist opens in South Africa, Namibia and Zambia on Friday February 28.

Below you can listen to an interview (with questions in text and answers in audio) with the real Abby Johnson ahead of the movie coming to South Africa.

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1. Unplanned is described by reviewers and critics as; An honest story with shocking facts that cannot be ignored and will shake perceptions. If you must give a synopsis of Unplanned in your own words to people whom have never heard of Unplanned – how would you explain it.
   
2.  Unplanned is finally coming to South-Africa. There are online petitions- 1000’s of people supporting the movie – people asking America to distribute this Internationally…Yet you did get a bit of resistance.
   
3. Let’s speak about statistics in South-Africa. According to the abortion and reproductive justice conference in 2018 the stats read; Despite the fact that abortion is legal in South Africa, it is estimated that between 52% and 58% of the estimated 260 000 abortions that take place in South Africa every year are illegal…Is it because women feel ashamed? That it is wrong?
   
4. There have been accusations that the film’s depiction of abortion as a profit-service for Planned parenthood, is false, and that abortion only makes out 3.4% of Planned Parenthood’s activities – what is your response to this?
   
5. Your passion for a woman’s right to choose stems from the fact that you, as a young woman, had to make choices yourself. Abby you understood both sides of the abortion conversation having two abortions yourself. Do you think that would prepare you well in advance for the role you would play in other women’s lives…and what advice would you now give women?
   
6. Critics have found fault with the fact that in their opinion, the life you now live, and treasure was enabled by the fact that you had access to two abortions – what is your response to this?
   
7. There has been acquisitions that the film never explores the process of choosing to keep a child and the struggles these women face – what is your response to this?
   
8. The Film Unplanned was made from the book you wrote about your life story. What creative liberties did the film makers take with this film? In other words – which important parts of this story is “creative liberty” and which are facts depicting your true life’s story?
   
9. In your book the woman getting the abortion on that day was an African American woman – why was she depicted as white in the film?
   
10. There have been questions concerning the medical possibility of seeing a foetus “twisting and fighting for it’s life” as described in the film – firstly: what exactly did you see?
    
11. What is your response to medical professionals who question what you say you saw, and who deny the possibility of that ever happening?
    
12. Although there are no “anti-abortion” passages, the Bible is clear that God is the Creator of life and all life is precious, born and unborn. So, what does the Bible say about abortion?
    
13. There are people that would say; Every day around the world more than 40,000 people, mostly children, die from starvation or malnutrition. We must protect and cherish the right to life of the already born…?
    
14. Do you have regrets about the past?
    
15. Your Book and Movie has touched so many people’s lives. What are you thankful for?
    
16. Would you recommend this movie?