Michigan activist swallows mail-order abortion pill on live TV

Have you ever watched an abortion?

The thought might conjure images of surgical tools or the dull shade of a hospital gown, but ending a pregnancy can be as simple as swallowing a prescription. That was the point Jex Blackmore, a Detroit activist and artist, wanted to illustrate when she ingested a mail-order abortion pill during a live interview with Fox 2′s Charlie Langton on Sunday, she said to end a pregnancy.

“Wow, that doesn’t happen often,” Langton said as a smiling Blackmore washed the pill down with water.

The Food and Drug Administration lifted a restriction on abortion pills in December that allows people to obtain them through the mail and at pharmacies. Previously, mifepristone and misoprostol were only available at a doctor’s office, hospital or abortion clinic.

Both drugs are approved for use by the FDA. Mifepristone can end an early pregnancy if taken up to 70 days from gestation and followed by a dose of misoprostol 24 to 48 hours later. The pills work together to temporarily block a hormone called progesterone, which is needed to grow a pregnancy.

Cramping, vaginal bleeding, nausea and fever/chills are common side effects of the treatment, according to the FDA. Blackmore told MLive that while everyone’s reaction is different, she’s experienced discomfort similar to an intense period.

Related: Most abortions happen in first trimester, and other facts about Michigan abortion rates

Blackmore said she took the first abortion pill on live television to confront stigma surrounding abortions and call attention to the mail-order pills. Blackmore said planned to complete the procedure.

“Nearly one in four people with a uterus will have an abortion by age 45, regardless of their political beliefs,” Blackmore said in an email. “It’s critical that this information reaches everyone.”

Blackmore appeared on Fox 2 Detroit’s “Let It Rip” along with Rebecca Kiessling, a Michigan attorney and activist. The interview was scheduled to observe the 49th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court ruling which protects the right to have an abortion without excessive government restriction.

Abortion rights activists worry that the landmark ruling could be overturned. State lawmakers across the country are also taking action to restrict access to abortion procedures. Michigan has a law dating back to 1931 that would make it a felony for anyone to provide an abortion if Roe v. Wade is nullified.

Related: Anti-abortion advocates rally at Michigan Capitol, express hope Roe v. Wade will be overturned

Blackmore advocated for the use of mail-order abortion pills as a safe alternative to other kinds of abortion procedures. She also stressed that the pills are now widely available instead of being only dispensed in certain settings, thanks to the December FDA determination.

“They are incredibly safe, safer than Viagra or Tylenol,” Blackmore said. “They’ve actually been in medical practice since 2000, so if you order it through the mail, they’d be the same thing you would receive if you were to walk into a clinic ... It is extremely easy and private and allows you to really self-manage your abortion.”

Blackmore, who called into the broadcast wearing a pin reading “abortion pills,” then held up a white mifepristone tablet for the audience.

“I want to show you how easy it is and safe it is by taking it myself,” Blackmore said.

Without further ado, she swallowed the pill and took a sip of water.

“You’re taking a -- are you -- you’re not pregnant, are you?” Langton said.

Blackmore said this was her third abortion. Kiessling, the anti-abortion activist, appeared to shake her head in disbelief.

“I have a lot of friends who had abortions through the abortion pill and really there’s no dignity in losing your baby, screaming in your bathroom and going through contractions,” Kiessling said.

Kiessling also promoted treatment to “reverse” the effects of abortion pills. Anti-abortion groups claim the hormone progesterone can stop a medication-based abortion.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists called such procedures potentially dangerous and unethical. A 2019 study designed to test the abortion pill reversal was ended due to safety concerns -- three women required medical treatment for severe bleeding.

Related: Proposed ballot initiative would add abortion rights to Michigan Constitution

Kiessling also said she opposes the use of levonorgestrel, also known as Plan B or the morning-after pill. This is another FDA-approved medication used as emergency contraception and taken after unprotected sex to reduce the chance of pregnancy.

In a Facebook post published after the interview, Kiessling said Blackmore’s display was disturbing and caused her to break down in tears after the TV segment ended.

“Pray for Jax Blackmore to have a change of heart and do the abortion pill reversal, pray for her baby, pray for us all, pray to end abortion,” Kiessling wrote.

Kiessling called attention to a controversial performance art piece Blackmore created during her activism with the Satanic Temple. As depicted in the documentary “Hail Satan?” Blackmore performed a “ritual” where she declared “We are going to storm press conferences, kidnap an executive, release snakes in the governor’s mansion, execute the president.”

Blackmore is a former spokesperson for the Satanic Temple and founder of its Detroit chapter. She has described the organization as non-religious, saying its members don’t literally worship demons or the concept of “Satan.” Blackmore does identify as a satanist but has not been a member of the Satanic Temple since 2018.

Blackmore has since explained that the art piece was not meant as a threat and intentionally did not name specific politicians. Instead, the intent was to broadly critique political power.

Blackmore further explained her style of provocative activism in response to questions from MLive.

“As an artist and activist, I am interested in creating action that challenges others to recalibrate their perspective, inspire discussion, and empower individuals to seek creative modes of confrontation,” Blackmore said. “My process is to identify moments that provide a platform for critical discourse, develop a performative spectacle that responds to the issue, and take the performance to public spaces in a way that transforms passive spectators into participants themselves. When confronted with something uncomfortable and unfamiliar, we are often compelled to evaluate our own beliefs.”

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