Actress Sharon Stone shared her personal story on Michelle Obama's "IMO" podcast this week, discussing an abortion she had at 18 and critiquing what she described as inconsistent attitudes toward women's healthcare in America.
Stone, 68, described her experience with candor, recalling a pregnancy she navigated largely alone without adequate information or support. "He didn't have any knowledge or information that I should have some kind of birth control," she said. "And I had no … like when I tell you I could have been the girl who gave birth in the bathroom stall." Her parents attributed her weight gain to the "freshman 15," unaware of her pregnancy.
Stone then shifted to broader cultural critique, highlighting what she sees as a gap between how different groups are treated regarding reproductive autonomy and medical care. "And now we don't wanna give women care, OB-GYN care, and we wanna prosecute women for having a miscarriage? What kind of arcane b——- is this?" she said.
Stone's most widely circulated comment came next: "If men got pregnant, you could get an abortion from a vending machine." The quip prompted laughter from Obama, who riffed on the idea. "If there would be the birth Olympics … men would film themselves going into labor and honoring their pain," Obama responded. "There would be trophies given. 'Well done, dude.' 'Bob, you did that without an epidural.'"
The comment arrived amid ongoing battles over abortion access, medication abortion and the criminalization of miscarriage in various states.
Stone's openness about her experience represents a shift from her approach earlier in her career, when she maintained privacy around this chapter of her life. Speaking publicly, particularly on a platform with significant reach, contributes to normalizing reproductive choice as part of women's lived experience.
On social media and in some conservative circles, Stone's comments drew criticism. Laura Echevarria, communications director for National Right to Life, characterized the vending machine joke as trivializing. "Abortion is about consequences. It ends the life of an unborn child and can profoundly impact the mother," Echevarria said. "Reducing abortion to something dispensed on demand doesn't elevate women."
Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America also responded, with Communication Director Kelsey Pritchard framing the exchange as "cynical man-bashing" and part of a "no-limits abortion-on-demand agenda."
Stone's podcast appearance reflected her broader willingness to engage in cultural commentary. Days earlier, she had criticized actress Sydney Sweeney over a provocative advertisement for a sports prediction platform, framing her concerns around supporting women in sports.
