When the new made-for-internet television series Bump+ premiered last week, many of us were left scratching our heads.
The press release and website told us:
“In 1973, the U.S. Supreme Court gave women a choice. Thirty-seven years later, we’re giving them a voice. BUMP+, a provocative web series from Yellow Line Studio that follows three women facing unintended pregnancies, premieres January 22nd. Watch the episodes. Share your story. Join the conversation.”
But still many of us were confused.
Was this a real show? Were these real pregnant women leaving the “choice” about whether or not to allow their unborn babies to live in the hands of an internet audience? It all sounded like a bad made for TV movie, never mind a web TV series.
A little careful reading at their website, though, reveals that this is a “fake” reality television series. The characters we meet on the screen are played by actors—but we, the audience, really will determine the outcomes of these characters’ pregnancies. In other words, our votes will determine what choices the writers will have each of these characters make in this “fake” reality show.
Are you still with me? I’m not sure I am.
Perhaps the confusion was a part of the show’s producers’ plan all along—a gimmicky means of getting people’s attention. But perhaps it was an unanticipated part of their cultural experiment. My own experience in writing online is that if there is even the slightest potential for people to misunderstand something ... they will. People read quickly and casually online, and then react instantly. That can be a public relations nightmare.
After I read a bit about the show’s background and watched the first episode, I determined that much of the initial negative response to Bump+ was based on misunderstanding. (You can watch the first episode here and the trailer video is embedded at the bottom of this post.)
I am intrigued.
Some have argued that ultimately this series fails because its promotes the idea that abortion is a “choice” and that all “choices” are equal.
But I don’t think that’s what viewers of this series will come away with. Whether we like it or not, abortion is still 100% legal in this country and thus it is absolutely open to women’s choices—both good ones and bad ones. In Bump+, we will watch these female characters make decisions about their pregnancies that mirror the kinds of decisions women in this country make every day.
Will we be horrified by some of the reasons the characters give for wanting an abortion? Probably.
Will we be forced to look at some sad, difficult, real-life situations that make it possible for some women to consider abortion their “best” option? It’s likely.
Will viewers vote to have the women carry their babies to term and then have the affirming, positive experience of seeing joy in the gift of new life? Possibly.
Will viewers vote to have the women choose to abort their babies and then feel loss in the sad, disturbing, painful consequences? Again, possibly.
I look at this series and I see potential. However this particular show turns out, thousands of people will be witnessing, thinking about, and discussing the reality of abortion as it exists in our society.
Let’s consider what is true about abortion, the reasons people might choose it, and the consequences when they do. Doing so might make some people uncomfortable, but I think many good things can come of that.
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I *so* agree.
We can pretend that woman don’t contemplate abortion or that there isn’t a choice, but there is. And better to talk about it and confront that then plug our ear and sing, “lah lah lah!” at top of our lungs.
Personally, I watched the first episode and look forward to the next one on Monday. It’s interesting and brings to the surface (in a non-threatening way) an issue that is often not discussed passionately by both sides. I think dialogue is important, and through the comments section, is present here.
You’re right that a lot of people were confused by this initially, and there were concerns about the idea of abortion as a “choice.” However, I also agree with you that this is a clever way of discussing the reality of abortion.
I’m studying multimedia communications (and theology) at Franciscan University, and our communications professors are constantly encouraging us to use the different mediums in communications to explore and express important issues like this. If our communications department produced a similar show, I’d be proud to be a part of it. Bump+ has already created channels for great discussion and has potential to reach many more people.
You have my attention, Danielle. I’ve been pretty much ignoring this series, but now I’m intrigued…and maybe I will watch it for myself.
Thanks for your insight. You keep me up on things. :)
@ Hannah. The problem with this headline is the question it asks. Abortion is a scientific and spiritual issue that was made political. It was legalized without a vote of the American people through the US Supreme Court on appeal. Each stage of the lower courts’ handling of this case ruled in favor of the people based on the state laws the people did support. We all know the difficulty a girl or woman has with a pregnancy that was not intended or desired. It is as old as mankind. A far more interesting story would be the story behind the Supreme Court’s ruling; as would the story of why the US bishops turned abortion into a political issue instead of the spiritual one it is. I know the answer to this last question. I don’t know the answer to the first.
How could a majority on the Supreme Court claim that they don’t know when life begins? It was scientific fact. I, myself, spent a year in embryology classes in college, including lab work, in mid ‘60s in which we worked with embryonic cells from chickens and created whole new chick embryos from bisected pieces of a single embryo, as long as the bisected pieces were from an embryo less then 17 hours old. After 17 hours, the bisected pieces from the embryo only produced what today are called “adult stem” cells which grow into specific parts of a body, not the whole body. I was a non practicing Catholic in college and when Roe v Wade came down. I became prolife not because of any religious training I had but because of the science I knew concerning when life begins.
Abortion is a lie. It was legalized on a case that was a lie. It has grown because of lies (only a lump of tissue, etc). And it continues to grow because of lies that are contradicted if one only had the ears to hear and eyes to see; such as Planned Parenthood being given $300,000,000+ a year by the US Congress to hand out physical devices to prevent that moment from happening – that “moment” the 1973 Supreme Court majority said they did not know when it happens.
@ stilbelieve. Yes, the story of how it was made “political” would be interesting. I’m sure those movies have been made, however. Without doing a google search, I’m reminded of one that does explore that a bit: http://www.comewhatmaythemovie.com/ Check it out if you haven’t already seen it. I liked it and thought it was well-done for a small budget, just like Bump+. Perhaps Bump+ is trying to do just as you said—explore the “scientific and spiritual” side of it more without getting into the politics, like the headline says.
We have known the young man that is doing this since he was very young…7 I beleive…he was amazing then, and is even more so now, and comes from a wonderful pro life family. Keep up the great work!
I think that this is the most well thought out blog post on the whole BUMP+ issue. And I’ve read quite a few.
I will wait to “judge” until after a few more episodes.
Very interesting Danielle. I heard Dominic Iocco on Laura Ingraham this morning and I was very discouraged. I have to say that what you had to say sunk into my head a little more than the conversation on the radio did. I need to go back and take a look at the site again. I hope that there will be some sort of “follow up” with the characters to see what the physical and emotional consequences are.
Thank you for this article which obviously took the time to check out the Bump website and see what it is all about. I have interacted on the Bump website. From my experience so far, this seems to be a really good way to foster productive, respectful communication among people from both sides of the abortion issue. I have been impressed with the comments viewers have expressed on the Bump site. One note though—there is actually nothing there about “voting”. The producers are asking people to share their stories, not votes. The plan seems to be that stories viewers share will help shape the actual stories in the web series.
There is nothing to dialogue about regarding abortion. Real catholics do not have a wavering postion on abortion. You either believe abortion is wrong or you don’t. I am not trying to understand why someone thinks abortion is a choice or option. We need to stay strong in our pro life beliefs and remain a force for clear moral authority. To do otherwise, is the complete antithesis of our religion. There is nothing complicated about what the church stands for regarding abortion. If you are not so sure you are pro life, perhaps you should join the other cafeteria catholics who stand for nothing. But leave the rest of us faithful alone. Do not try to contaminate us with your views.
In response to Christine on Tuesday, Feb 9, 2010 11:56 AM (EST):
I am Catholic too and just want to affirm for you that it is possible to listen and try to understand where people are coming from in their different perspectives without compromising our own perspectives. Listening and trying to understand does not imply giving up our values. Look at this quote from Vatican II in Gaudium et Spes, paragraph 28: “Respect and love ought to be extended also to those who think or act differently than we do in social, political and even religious matters. In fact, the more deeply we come to understand their ways of thinking through such courtesy and love, the more easily will we be able to enter into dialogue with them.”
You are sadly a very misguided individual if you think we should try to understand other amoral religious beliefs. All beliefs are not created equal and neither do I believe in moral relativism. Should we stand by and not have an opinion about honor killings because we simply do not understand that culture? Do I need to appreciate and value the experience that would make one wish to kill another? I say no.
You quote:
“Respect and love ought to be extended also to those who think or act differently than we do in social, political and even religious matters. In fact, the more deeply we come to understand their ways of thinking through such courtesy and love, the more easily will we be able to enter into dialogue with them.”
If I were to believe such as you state above, our civil society could not stand. I do not believe abortion is something I need to understand, in the same way I do not have to understand why Tiger Woods needs 25 mistresses. There are some things that are so morally repugnant that to entertain them by conversation provides a credibility I do not wish to provide. This will be my last posting on this topic and I am shocked that someone who professes to be Catholic would be so willing to listen to why someone else devalues life. It is even more shocking that a religious nun would hold such abhorrent views. It is sickening, really. You are not like the nuns I grew up with and who taught me right from wrong. Boy, the church is going in the wrong direction, for sure.
Thank you for your thoughts, Christine. Like you, believe that moral relativism is wrong and I firmly hold to my belief that abortion is wrong. However, when I listen to people who do not agree with me, that does not mean I am giving up my moral values. It means I am trying to find a way to speak the truth to them in a way they can understand. Unless I can understand them, they will not be able to understand me. I am sorry that the Catholic Church’s teaching that dialogue is important comes as a surprise to you. It’s not easy to dialogue and not everyone is called to do it. You have strong moral values that I am certain are pleasing to the Lord, Christine. Be at peace. There are many roles to play in the Mystical Body of Christ.
Two things:
—Abortion is wrong. No ifs ands or buts.
—Using dialog to try to convince someone who is pro-abortion not to have an abortion is Christian.
That is what BUMP is about.
Why is it so difficult for some people to distinguish these two simple facts?
Another view. This by Dr. Laura from her blog of Feb. 10, 2010:
Just when you thought web-based programs couldn’t get more depraved, we have the introduction of a fake attempt to “humanize” the discussion about abortion by having “actors” pretending to be pregnant tell their sob stories and have you, the audience, decide if the baby should live or die.
I’m not kidding. Supposedly, the producers got this bright idea from Barack Obama’s commencement address at the University of Notre Dame, when he said he wanted “to find ways to communicate about a workable solution to the problem of unintended pregnancies.” I thought we already came up with such a solution: it’s called ADOPTION.
Here’s the rundown of an episode:
1. A wife of a brave, deployed military man who screws around on him gets knocked up.
2. A wife of a man who is violent, but who keeps cranking out babies with him.
3. A couple who just wants to get on the phony reality show.
Yeah, this really advances the discussion about abortion.
Just because these women were irresponsible, should an innocent human being die? Just because a woman has created a lousy circumstance for the well-being of a child, should the innocent child die?
How about this: The entire time the woman is whining about her life, show a split screen with a live video of the fetus moving around, sucking its thumb, doing back flips, etc. Then we’ll vote as to whether the mother should be given the death sentence after the baby is born. What a great idea for a reality show!
The solution to unwanted pregnancies is to take responsibility, or to give that blessing to someone else.
end of Dr. Laura’s blog.
It would not work in a sidewalk counseling situation to approach a woman and, for an extreme example, tell her that she is a murderer. Such an approach would only drive that woman away more determined to have an abortion than ever. The Bump series and message boards are having conversations with women that reflect the kind of human love, concern and compassion that so many praiseworthy sidewalk counselors use. Some people are not comfortable with the reality show format. But it seems to be working quite well to promote quality discussion on the message boards.
Sr. Mary Agnes, thank you for sharing your wisdom and gentle words. We need to look at people as children of God and not as the sum of their sins. Our purpose is to love, not to judge.
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