There’s Something I Haven’t Said
BY Sophia Bazini
If there’s one thing to take away from There’s Something I Haven’t Said, it is that the most sacred part of a woman is her voice. The film dives into the lives of three women who have had abortions, despite the outside judgements that accompany this decision.
“En esta cultura que santifica la maternidad.” This means: In this culture that sanctifies maternity. In a society that worships women for their motherhood, people pray to their pregnancy rather than their person. She explains how women become “una santa” when they are carrying, but this support is conditional. The people in their lives punished them for prioritizing themselves. As doctors reprimanded one with questions, a 17 year old girl said she felt as if she was being treated like a criminal. Women scared to tell their own families for fear of being disowned.
The film reveals the vulnerability that comes with abortion. In a conservative community that is unaccepting, women feel naked. The nudity throughout this film brings emphasis to the authenticity of these women, and the beauty in their bodies as they are. As each woman shares her story, they are portrayed on screen, allowing us to see their raw bodies. The bodies that they define, not the other way around.
“When I talk about having my abortion I am proud.” There’s Something I Haven’t Said brings to light that woman are proud to have an abortion, not because they are not bearing a child, but because they are making this choice to put themselves first. They are able to come to a realization that their decision is not selfish. It is self-honoring.
The title of this film alone gives value to voice. There’s Something I Haven’t Said, because I have been silenced. There’s Something I Haven’t Said, not because I haven’t tried, but because I have been criminalized. There’s Something I Haven’t Said, but I am saying it now. A woman’s voice is sacred because it is able to provide healing to those who experience this suppression. This expression can be therapy for both parties.
There’s Something I Haven’t Said, but I am saying it now, for you.
Cassady López
Cassady López is a poet, writer, film enthusiast, sister and friend. She has performed and competed from the final stage at the Los Angels Get Lit Classic Slam to the Brave New Voices Slam stages. She writes and highlights subjects such as family, latinidad, homelessness and disability. She was born and raised in the desert and hopes to continue writing and creating with in her community
