yaaaaay! to you. so happy you did this.

This woman is so far beyond narcisistic, it is unbelievable. So unbelievable that one probably shouldn't believe it — any of it. She is a PR whore, who teaches young PR whores how to be better PR whores. It's her life's work.. End of story. No miscarriege. No Asperger's. No value as a human being. Just money, and what ever it takes to make more. Seriously, end of story. If you have been duped into thinking that this woman has anything to offer except lies and heartless self-promotion (seriously people this is her job, no joke — this is what these brainless turds sit around and comtemplate all day while finding angel investers for their latest start-up), if you really believe that a human being could be so callous and uncaring to just let as many people as possible know about something so painful and personal (who cares how common miscarrieges are? really what kind of sick argument is that?), if you really can not see through this PR farce, then you deserve to be duped. And you will buy what ever screwed up unhealthy product that she pushes from now until the whole thing comes crumbling down. Poor things …

Lefty, you are spot on.

"Your Tweet appeared to have nothing to do with telling the "truth" and everything to do with shameless self-promotion. If your thoughts and ideas are truly intelligent and well spoken, you shouldn't need to resort to such a blatent publicity stunt to garner attention and new readers for your blog.

Where is your sense of privacy and dignity? Isn't anything sacred anymore? What happened to people having friends and family, doctors and professionals to offer emotional, moral and personal support and validation? Apparently being honest with people who are close to you, and with yourself, isn't enough.

Just because you can say it doesn't mean you should. Your comment begs for attention, a reaction, ANY reaction, as desperately as Britney Spear's crotch flashing, Paris Hilton's one night hook-ups and Lindsey Lohan's tragic breakdowns. It's not reality, it's desperate, full-frontal exhibitionism. And what a poor disservice it does to real women experiencing real problems and genuine emotions. Everything you wrote smacks of inauthenticity and mocks the complex, conflicting and often overwhelming feelings that pregnancy and loss can evoke.

What a damn waste of words."

What an awful thing to happen to what's left of any shred of humanity we Americans might have. What a clear consequence of people who have been brought up that there are no consequences. It's just another tragic example of the total lack of personal responsibility that has taken our once great country and mired it in mediocrity. It just shows that anyone can put a CEO title in front of their name in the dot.com world. Let's watch the bar be lowered from here on out.

I'm from a very well developed, western country where, nontheless, abortion is illegal and, due to our catholic background and traditions, intimate women's issues are not discussed as openly as other issues. Thousands of young women travel secretly (though it's very much an 'open secret') to a neighbouring country to have abortions every year, and suffer the humiliation and fear of being 'found out'. I applaud Penelope's attempt to bring female experience which, in this case, also includes a thwarting of basic constitutional rights, into the public arena. You may not agree to abortion (I hope personally that it's never a decision I'm faced with) or to discussing miscarriage so openly and casually, but surely you agree to all women being allowed to exercise their democratic and constitutional rights to speak freely about and to share openly an experience of being a woman.

Unfortunately Siobhan, you have completely missed the point of the comments that you have responded to. You might have wanted to write these important thoughts to some right wing nut bag who still thinks that woman belong oppressed. That has nothing to do with what I said. Again, (and this is so important) this woman is a total fraud. She has changed her name several times in her "career". Please do not consider anything she has to say about public and professional life as more than a sad, emotionally depraved, opportunist, who earns more money every time you give her more attention. I've seen her type at all the young and upward drinking holes in Sillicon Alley (NYC neighborhood where the whole internet start-up craze merged with the Madison Avenue ad world in a really disgusting way) back in the 90's. People like her are completely unconcerned with issues of social reformation. They are concerned with self-advancement and sel-preservation. This is not the opinion of someone who dis-likes her views on an oppressive society. This is the opinion of someone who's seen her type in action — "doing business". It's a vile world that she has crawled from. She has no intention of making the world a better place for the modern woman. Her intention is to GET RICH.

Why are you bothering to read it then?

I caught wind of this grotesque "modern woman" through the twenty four hour news cycle. But since I've been back a few times to follow up, I can see what you're saying. Why bother right? Well believe me, now that I know what she is all about and how my coming back only makes her more wealthy and somehow validates her horrific business practices, I will not be back. But again, her intention is not to take on the cause of the modern professional woman. Abortion, miscarriege, advancing the cause for women everywhere in some internet mogel, riottgirl kind of way — none of this should even be on the table. It's all secondary to her ultimate goal — I hope there are still a few normal, decent people left who can see through this non-sense and make sure that she doesn't

Susie Bright: They call you "Bright" for a reason. Thank you for seeing through this clown.

Hey, Penelope, some future money-making suggestions for your blog:

Have another abortion. This time set up a camera and tape it. Call it "The Abortion Cam." Charge the suckers on this site to watch. They'll pay.

Put a web cam in your bedroom and keep it on 24/7. Again, charge people for access.

Have a contest for people to see the largest object you can stuff up your —-. The person who guesses the largest object wins a prize.

Animals, animals! You're in farm country. Get creative with animals.

Fly to New York and run naked through Manhattan.

Get a job on Kink.com. They're always looking for models.

I haven't seen anyone analyze the time line of events in this blog over the past 10 days, so here goes:

Sept. 21 — miscarriage twitter post
Sept. 23 — replaced as CEO, given newly created position with no management responsibility
Sept. 24 — blog entry about twitter post generates >450 comments.
Sept. 25, 28 — generic posts
Sept. 29 — gives unusual interview on CNN
Sept. 29, 30 — blogs about having Aspergers, describes many personality deficits
Oct.1 — posts CNN interview on blog

I think this is a career flame out. This blog and its author might even thrive from this publicity (although I doubt it), but there ain't no more "careerist" around here.

GREAT SUSIE~! I totally agree…any broad who is TOO DUMB to use a reliable method of birth control before she sleeps around is NOT SMART ENOUGH to teach any person one valuable thing about career choices! SHE proves that so many women can literally sleep with enough people to get their foot in the door…I have read her writing and its boring and regurgitated from about 20 other similar writings! THIS pig should be taken off of her 15 minutes already!

Penelope, you do realize that you're coming across as a complete fuckwad, right? You're talking about a human life. My wife and I also endured a miscarriage and it was horrible. I don't disrespect your right to choose; I take offense at your nonchalance. Not everything needs to be tweeted. And your tweet on your miscarriage seems nothing more than a misguided attempt at self-promotion. It is truly wretched.

LOL. I don't think Penelope qualifies as a "young lady" anymore.

"Young lady"? How insulting!! There certainly was nothing 'fair and balanced' about his interviewing style, was there? Obviously Rick Sanchez couldn't be bothered to do any homework on you before you came on to his show, otherwise he would have known exactly why you are so outspoken, honest and open about your life.
I really wish CNN had been enlightened and evolved enough to have a woman interview you rather than this past-his-prime frat boy. Congratulations on sticking to your point (even thanking him for getting out the public service message-haha!) and keeping your cool.
In the end, he looked like a buffoon. Great interview!

I agree with you 100%, ResumeWriter!

WooHoo! great job, Penelope. I agree, your hair looks great! Thanks for sharing the clip.

"Maybe me talking about my miscarriage to newscasters is part of this series"

I think that is a definite. I think people with a normal range of emotions realize it's not the best to talk about these things outside of your trusted circle. It really is in your best interest to not discuss these things with people you don't trust. But then again, you're getting the attention, and maybe that's what you wanted.
Whatever the case, I'm sorry you had an unplanned pregnancy.

What do you mean by "not the best"? It seems like one of Penelope's goals is to expand the range of subjects that is acceptable to discuss frankly in public. If that's correct, then it follows that talking about "these things" outside of a trusted circle is in her best interest. In any case, it's really for her to decide what's in her own best interest.

On a side note, what exactly is gained by keeping talk about miscarriages, abortions, and other (women's) health/body issues private? What are the benefits beyond avoiding judgment and criticism? In my opinion the costs outweigh the benefits.

> It seems like one of Penelope's goals is to expand the
> range of subjects that is acceptable to discuss
> frankly in public.

Yep, that sure does help one build one's career skills, doesn't it?

Of course, P wouldn't know anything about careers since she's never had one.

The guy really behaved like a jerk, hardly concealing his hatred towards you behind his grin. I wonder how you managed to stay calm and not fall prey to his provocations.

You're incredible. I admit it's shocking because the topics are ones rarely spoken of so openly, but you're so right.

Sidenote, I notice a hint of a Wisconsin accent.

You and Sanchez make some really bad arguments here:

-Women already have the right to abortion, whether or not you like that. Therefore, we should protect that right. So just because people are allowed to do something now, we never prevent them from doing it? Then how can we justify new laws?

- Most people are more complicated than one single answer. This is elitist comment. Just because a person's views lie squarely on one side of the fence, doesn't make them a simpleton.

- As soon as women are pregnant their hormones start taking over Everyone is ruled by hormones. All your values, hopes and fears can traced back to chemicals in your brain.

I just think it's a really complicated question. You proceeded to answer the question as if Sanchez had asked "Do you think abortion is wrong" or "Should abortion be illegal". But all he asked you was whether you felt guilty about the abortion. Will you answer that question?

And Sanchez makes a bad argument too:

- The hormones you feel are God's way of telling you to keep the baby. I guess the "hormones" realeased when I smoke weed are God's way of telling me to smoke more.

"Most people are more complicated than one single answer. This is elitist comment. Just because a person's views lie squarely on one side of the fence, doesn't make them a simpleton."

No. This is not an elitist comment at all. All that was said was "most people are more complicated than one simple answer", meaning not all situations are black and white. It has nothing to do with who is or is not a simpleton, but clearly you are.

>>-'Women already have the right to abortion, whether or not you like that. Therefore, we should protect that right.' So just because people are allowed to do something now, we never prevent them from doing it? Then how can we justify new laws?

Enacting new laws through the process of democracy is one thing. Insurance companies acting as quasi legislators by creating additional hoops is another thing. I don't agree with that.

Terrorising the staff and patients at abortion clinics should NOT be legal. Animal rights protesters who harassed staff at a research facility (Huntington Life Sciences) in the UK were arrested as terrorists. Some of the tactics employed by abortion protesters in the US are equally bad. I'm not saying that waving a placard is terrorism but throwing blood at people, shouting abuse, making death threats, and shooting abortion doctors certainly is.

If you disagree with abortion then you should lobby for legislative change and that's ALL you should do.

In my opinion abortion should be conducted in every hospital, not in specialised clinics.

how is it you think that most hospitals don't "conduct" abortions? most do, if willing doctors (usually ob-gyns) are associated with them. the possible exceptions are those states where the blood-flinging is acceptable.

specialised clinics are usually provided in areas where 1) there is a significant population that is not or under-insured, and 2) where the culture doesn't necessarily find doctors willing to provide the procedure in hospital settings.

@thatgirlinnewyork I don't know what happens in every part of the country, but I read a long, in-depth feature article about the recent murder of the abortion doctor. His clinic was basically the only place providing abortions in his whole state, which is part of the reason why he was such a target. I'm sure there are hospitals in his state. If there aren't, that's a bigger problem.

We live in a culture of embarrassment and shame. I'm not sure how it benefits us (possibly the continuation of a male dominated society?), but I know it causes many professional and personal issues that could probably be avoided through communication.

I'd like to see this story become a tipping point for a more honest and forthcoming work (and personal) environment. I'll certainly look back on this event the next time I need to tell someone the truth even if I find it very difficult.

that was brilliant! well done! and actually while the patronising 'young lady' from a CNN interviewer is unbelievable, he was quite open about his ignorance in the end and seemed willing to learn from you. mostly i think your ability to deal with his questions and talk about thigns that really matter to us all was truly admirable.

I find it interesting that people are upset and offended by this when they weren't upset and offended that you were subject to sexual abuse as a child and you discussed it on this blog. To me these are both intensely personal topics that influence people's careers and work life, and I think you are brave to discuss them.

BTW, your hair does look great. :-)

Picasso suffered from visual migraines which caused him to see funny broken images. He considered this a gift (I got that gift too yey).

I think that your Aspergers in a way is a gift too – it makes you bring up to the table issues that we the the "neurotypicals" would just accept by following the "societal norms" on top of which PT just tramples like a bull in a china shop. In a good way (sometimes).

When I had my miscarriage, I was glad that I happened to tell everyone at work that I was pregnant – because if I didn't, I wouldn't have found out that I was not alone.

People need to know that miscarriages happen, and that when it happens for the 3rd time yes you might want to just stay at work and keep your mind busy – if it happened early enough that is, and there are no complications. When people judge me for taking it in stride, I take it in stride. Telling me how I should feel about it is very obtuse.

An amazingly powerful and far reaching media – Twitter – that started this whole discussion about a week and a half ago. Both Rick Sanchez and I agree on at least one thing – the female experience is an interesting topic.

Like I said in my email, thanks for doing the interview, Penelope.

I just read comments on the miscarriage post. People need to get over themselves. I've never had a miscarriage, but I you're absolutely correct when you say some women are grateful to have them. Not every pregnant woman wants to have a baby and NOT ONE of these women are obligated to feel bad for getting what they wanted: a terminated pregnancy. Women have the right to express that relief and help break down the public attitude that the only acceptable expression over a miscarriage is grief. The obligation in this discussion comes from people who think they know what you need to feel. Yes, get over yourselves is right.

Wow. I am just now seeing all this controversy. I just want to say thank you. Thank you for bringing this to the attention of so many people. It's situations like this, backed by strong people like you, that will continue to advance the true equality of women — in the US, and with luck and time, abroad. Women can't really be in control of their lives and prosperity until they can control their reproduction. Like the late, great Carlin said: anti-abortion = anti-woman. You are doing a great service by bringing the ideas of miscarriage as a normal, natural occurrence, abortion as a right to be protected, and waiting periods as an obstruction of our rights to the fore. And thank you for pointing people towards giving to PP, they need all the help they can get. Kudos.

I sort of like that it was a man, and not a woman, conducting the interview. I guess it doesn't really matter, but I think part of Penelope's point is that when everyone understands the female experience, we'll all be better off. I like that CNN didn't feel they had to handle this situation with kid-gloves (or girl-gloves, if you will) by giving you a female interrogator who asked easy, sensitive questions.

Penelope, I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on the interviewer.

You are a truly ugly woman– inside and out. Keep your legs closed; too bad you mother did not.

Completely inapropriate comment. Doreen, I wish for you that your ignorance lessens and that you are able to develop compassion at some point in your life.

My gosh! How rude! Same should be said to you.

This blog and comments are meant to be a forum for a conversation and feedback….not ridiculously childlike insults.

Doreen, I guess your mother never told you that if you don't have something nice to say, you shouldn't say anything at all. This type of comment has no place on any blog, and I hope Penelope deletes it as innapropriate.

I just feel sorry for you Doreen. Maybe one day you'll actually learn the manners your slut of a mother (since you think all pregnant women are sluts) should have taught you.

What's wrong about Doreen saying this? She was just using her freedom of speech just like Penelope did. And if you want to argue that P wasn't saying something mean to another person, think again! She was celebrating the DEATH of her unborn BABY! (don't dehumanize it by calling the baby a fetus) Not to mention, how bad do you think what P said might have hurt a woman that read it who would want nothing more than to be able to get pregnant and have a child of her own? Or a person who had a miscarriage who wanted nothing more than to carry the baby full term? I'm pretty sure when the First ammendment was written this wasn't what they had in mind or else they probably wouldn't have given us the freedom of speech in the first place.

The baby didn't ask P to be irresponsible and have unprotected sex so why is it that the baby should be the one to pay the consequence and be spoken about like it was just an inconvenience like having to go through your junk mail and throw it out? And then to post this why, because you liked your hair? Seriously?

@Mindy said: "What's wrong about Doreen saying this? She was just using her freedom of speech just like Penelope did."

And the other commenters were just using their freedom of speech to respond to Doreen.

And so was I, how long would you like to keep this going?

@Mindy, I quote: "What's wrong about Doreen saying this? She was just using her freedom of speech just like Penelope did."

It sounded like you were criticizing Doreen's detractors on the grounds that they were undermining her freedom of speech. In actual fact, while they disagreed with what she said and her choice to say it, no one attacked her constitutional right to say it. So I'm not sure why you bothered to make the point that she was exercising freedom of speech. So what? That doesn't give her a free pass to avoid disagreement.

No one has a free pass to avoid disagreement – you or Doreen are free to disagree with Penelope or me or anyone else. But why bring freedom of speech into it when it's not in question? Why defend what's not attacked?

That's all.

Wow, look at the hate spilling over here.

Kudos, Penelope, on not being afraid to be honest (while still being civil). Something we could all learn from.

I think you are correct. Great hair!

How can a man give a good interview on a topic that really only effects women. I didn't appreciate his attitude. Isn't the reporters supposed to be middle of the road, non judgmental reporting? Doesn't he stating he is a catholic makes his interviewed skewed?

My miscarriage was during a 10 hour flight back home from a work trip in Europe and it was extremely painful and yes heavy bleeding. The pain lasted 2 days and was horrible! And yes he was a stupid man for not knowing what his potential partner could go through. Love the start of the comb over he is rocking too.

I think the lesson of this interview is how well Penelope handled herself in front of the camera. All business people who may find themselves being interviewed should take note: She mentioned her company, she gave her url, she paused before answering questions, she didn't get excited or respond emotionally to the reporter, she smiled, she was engaging, she made sure she got her point across in an easy-to-understand manner. I could go on. Bravo, Penelope. And for the people who commented on the interviewer: he was just doing his job, trying to get an interesting story on the air, sharing just enough of his own experiences and opinions to draw the subject out. His patronizing comments may have been part of his plan, or not. It doesn't matter. What matters is how Penelope responded and if the interview was good for her and for her business.

Penelope, I agree with Donna that you interviewed well with Rick. The point you make about editing an interview is what I find interesting. I'm not talking about this interview specifically but interviews with the media in general. Some interviews are live and others are broadcast after having been edited. Many times while watching an interview it's difficult to pick up on whether or not an interview has been edited. A case in point is this interview as we wouldn't know Rick asked questions about the farmer or his family and their opinions. There's also the article the NY Times did with you last year with your divorce. I remember that interview was not the best as I believe it misinterpreted some things you were trying to convey to the interviewer.
It really comes down to the fact that you don't have much if any control over the content you furnish to a given media if you don't have control over the media itself. A perfect example is your blog which is your content and your media. This is what I'd like to see – a blog post on various media types and some of your experiences with them. I wonder how they determine what gets published and what doesn't and also how they can take content and manipulate it to espouse a certain view. I agree that the ABC interview was a good interview.

You rule. It's so funny how absolutely uncomfortable that guy is and how comfortable and in control you are! It's clear who has the power in that conversation.

I'm so glad you're talking about this!

Finally, your hair looks awesome.

Thank you so much for educating so many people about the realities of miscarriage and the female experience.

I read your blog pretty regularly, but for whatever reason the other day when someone mentioned to me about a woman on the news talking about why she was happy she had a miscarriage, I didn't make the connection and realize they were talking about you.

I have to give you a lot of credit to go on the air with a guy like Rick Sanchez – I find him to be a bit of an arrogant/pompous jerk. You handled his questions quite well.

You're right though, miscarriages and other "taboo topics" should be talked about. Because how else are people going to learn about, understand and bring awareness to things that happen in everyday life if we are too scared to discuss them?

rock the fuck on, girl! you continue to blow me away. and your hair does look awesome.

"You were in a board meeting… did you just have it?"

You have got to be kidding. Oops, I just had a miscarriage. Sorry to interrupt, carry on with stock summary.

Meh.

Did you have Botox recently? Jesus lady, your face doesn't even move when you talk. My God!

Penelope,

My girl-friend turned me on to your website yesterday. I read about 15 posts, then had to get back to work. Logged on to my Google Reader, and there was this post/video. You are women's unsung hero. I can't even describe how much I think you rock. Thank you for this, thank you for this blog, and please keep sharing your opinions with us.
Juliana

I love how the ad hominem attacks flow when commenters have nothing intelligent to contribute. Ladies, get a life if you can't offer a simple opposing viewpoint in place of attacking her appearance.

You're cool. I like how you took Rick Sanchez's embarrassing ignorance in stride. This never gets old!

http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/tue-november-8-2005/moment-of-zen—sanchez-taser

I love your blog. And your honesty. Thank you for talking about things that everyone else tiptoes around.

Your blogs are crazy fodder – you talk about being Jew and eating pork and dating a pig farmer. You talk about multiple men in the span of 6 months…"maybe boyfriends". Obviously you don't treat potential pregnancy very seriously, with your various abortions. Your references to the synogogue and making atonement – you treat religion as a joke. What do you take seriously, Penelope?

You have balls, you're true to yourself, and you've opened the door to an important dialogue. I saw your post on twitter, and was taken aback for a moment. As a longtime reader, in no way did I think that you were being flip or careless about the miscarriage/abortion.

I think you're brave.

Abortions are awful! They are tragic and can haunt the aborters for years. It is one of the most difficult decisions a female could ever make.

I've never had an abortion. And if I'm not the one with the decision to make, than I can't judge it.

As far as your twitter. I would just say TMI. You can talk about sex all you want. I really don't need to know that you are in meeting and struggling with a miscarriage. As sad as they may be, its not like you twitter when you have your period…or do you?

Then you really don't need to follow her do you? You invited her tweets by adding her, so deal with it or grow up and stop being a little b!tch.

Is this the same anonymous as above? What a fine fascist you must be ranting at opposing viewpoints. And oh so brave doing it anonymously…wow, how proud your parents must be!

Look Mom, another hate filled response sent over the web! What a fine human being I am! Can I have a cookie?

Your Tweet appeared to have nothing to do with telling the "truth" and everything to do with shameless self-promotion. If your thoughts and ideas are truly intelligent and well spoken, you shouldn't need to resort to such a blatent publicity stunt to garner attention and new readers for your blog.

Where is your sense of privacy and dignity? Isn't anything sacred anymore? What happened to people having friends and family, doctors and professionals to offer emotional, moral and personal support and validation? Apparently being honest with people who are close to you, and with yourself, isn't enough.

Just because you can say it doesn't mean you should. Your comment begs for attention, a reaction, ANY reaction, as desperately as Britney Spear's crotch flashing, Paris Hilton's one night hook-ups and Lindsey Lohan's tragic breakdowns. It's not reality, it's desperate, full-frontal exhibitionism. And what a poor disservice it does to real women experiencing real problems and genuine emotions. Everything you wrote smacks of inauthenticity and mocks the complex, conflicting and often overwhelming feelings that pregnancy and loss can evoke.

What a damn waste of words.

Weird, I was thinking the same thing about your comment.

Yeah, a comment in response to a blog post is equally as self-promotional as a "Hey! Look at ME!" Tweet deliberately engineered to be splashed across major media outlets.

Right on Noah! Real sharp! You got me on this one! I bet my comment will be on CNN tomorrow…

Fantastic interview! I am inspired by you. I am glad that you kept bringing the interview back to the point of having to wait to have an abortion due to state laws. I am outraged at the idea of the abortion wait time not about you tweeting about a miscarriage.

Friendly recommendation: Don't start your interview responses with "Well.."
You are great!!!!!

+1 for constructive criticism.

I would also like to add thanks for helping me to understand miscarriage-
I am thirty, I am a woman, and I had no idea that they can take a number of weeks to occur. Until yesterday when I read your article, I assumed it was a big-bang-hospital event when it happened- and I am close to/related to many women who have had miscarriages. This really highlights the need for discussion- my friends/relatives and I generally consider ourselves to be liberal and educated people… clearly there is a need for more education.

I completely support your authenticity here. Miscarriage (and indeed abortion) are such huge taboos and women at work normally have to cover up both. I admire your courage in putting these subjects out in the open, and in putting some of the realities of life slap bang in the midst of work when these things are normally required to sit separately.

What a great interview! I have a question, though. Why does it take an adult woman in Wisconsin 3 weeks to get an abortion? Is there that long of a waiting period?

I'm glad that you talked about this openly- there is so much mystery around these issues for so many people.

harpreet – oh, you mean it's only this guy giving this poor innocent woman a hard time? Get real! There are thousands upon thousands of people utterly outraged right now, and Sanchez, amongst many others, is just being a voice of reason in the madness.

The only madness is in the concept that a certain segment of society somehow has the right to tell an individual that what they do is wrong, simply because it offends that segment's sensibilities. We are each of us human, each of us the product of our parents, our environment, our life. We do not all see things the same way, nor is it necessarily good that we do, lest we fall into the doldrums of conformity. Still, the individual has the right to their beliefs, and where belief is concerned, there can be no right-or-wrong answer, only what the individual determines works best for them.

If you are outraged, Genevive, that is your prerogative, but that outrage is based on your view of the world, and in this country no one view can necessarily be held above all others, lest we cede our right to freedom of individuality. Each must make their own choice, and each must be given the chance to make it, and live with the repercussions of that choice. If Penelope chose this, then she is the only one it truly affects. Not you. Not I. While abortion is legal, it the right of any woman to decide for herself what is best, and we must look toward women in these kinds of situations with compassion, not with rhetoric.

Thank you for showing that it is possible to have a rational, level-headed discussion of a polarizing topic, without invective, vitriol, or name-calling. This interview was closer to the actual give-and-take of debate than we've seen in a while in this country. I applaud your honesty and your willingness to take us inside a world many of us do not know well enough.

Hey Penelope,
I would just like to tell you that the haters on this blog are nothing more than simple-minded people who think everything is black and white. They want nothing other than to oppress women and shame you. Do not be ashamed for you have nothing to be ashamed of. Any man can have sex whenever he wants and nobody freaks out, but EVERYONE freaks out when a woman does that because her uterus may or may not potentially carry a child. Absolutely no one would be commenting if a man tweeted about one of his medical procedures.

Also. Over half of ALL pregnancies end in miscarriage. Over half of ALL of them.

The lives of women. You are my hero.

PS. I just signed up on Brazen Careerist (even tho I'm a long time fan) because of this! :)

Next time you should use birth control. Have you heard of that?
You are utterly disgusting.
Use birth control.
Stop using the death of a child( as a prop for anti-abortion issues. Find another way. You are the one that is ridiculous
to use this for you own agenda

Use birth control if you do not want to have a child.

The natural part is being educated enough to find ways of not getting pregnant in the first place and all the stds
involved having unprotected sex

A miscarriage is a loss even if you don't realize it. And I'm sorry for your loss. God is waiting for you to talk to Him about this. He loves you.

And so is the Flying Spaghetti Monster

You were awesome.

I can't believe he called you "young lady!"

i've been reading your blog off and on for a while now, and i have to say that i am very impressed! if people would talk about these historically taboo issues, perhaps they wouldn't be the root of so much confusion and contention.

P, you looked really pretty! I know it's not a comment on the substance of the interview but whatever.

You handled the interview very well. You were calm, you answered the questions, you made your points, you mentioned your company, you smiled. Regardless of whether people agree with you over the issues, they could definitely learn from the interviewing technique.

***

When he said "I'm Catholic so I have a hard time with this. Did you have to get over that?" (I paraphrase), I thought you were going to say "Get over Catholic guilt? No, I'm Jewish".

The response would have been too glib perhaps but I thought it was a strange way for him to phrase the question.

Jews who actually practice their religion do not believe in killing babies, so if she were a real Jew, this would not have been a consideration for her.

@Dan My point was the phrasing of Sanchez's question, not how Jews choose to practise their religion.

that was amazing. I didn't have an actual miscarriage at work but I carried the deceased embryo for weeks, eventually losing him at home at night. But you're right – it took three weeks and I couldn't, despite what some people at work said (suggesting I should not be there) take three weeks off waiting for it to happen).

thank you for speaking so honestly about it. I don't know that I could, but women like you can and it's great.

I am so glad you posted this. You are truly Pro-human. You don't believe that fetuses deserve more rights than anyone born nor do you, apparently, believe that it is fair that in the majority of cases people vehemently at*tempt* argue that it is justified that only women ever be forced to sacrifice their right to bodily integrity in order to save someone else's life… thereby becoming less than human and nothing more than a living, breathing life support system. Something like what Rick and Dave would like to see happen, apparently.

Ali, your comments are very ignorant. Anyone who has had a baby will tell you with 100% that that so called fetus is a life "from conception." We now have ultrasounds in great detail to "prove" what women have for hundreds of years already known, that a baby is a baby, in the womb or outside.

In fact, it's said the first three months of a baby's life are its "fourth trimester." Why shouldn't it be OK to have infantacide at this point? If your argument is that since a human, like us all, at some point in its life needs outside assistance (this DOES continue after birth), then why stop at the womb???

I had to skip a bunch of comments because I'm in a hurry, so forgive me if this is repetitive, but I really appreciate the way you brought the conversation back around to the fact that states create hoops for women to jump through that make getting this legal surgery more difficult. It's that sneaky slippery slope that has made abortion impossible, if not illegal, in many parts of the country. Embarrassingly enough, I also didn't know that a miscarriage took place over time (and I'm a woman!), so that was probably a real service to a lot of people.

You were phenomenal on TV! I watched the clip and I clapped at the end of it. It's really powerful, partly because it's so rare, to see a woman being unapologetic about her health and her body. THANK YOU.

Penelope, thank you for being a brazen woman, and human being. Your stance takes courage and you had a great interview. People taking this is the type of stand is what our country was founded on.

WOW! I never comment on anything and you have gotten me so riled up I have now commented TWICE on your blog!

You are so awesome. Thank you for speaking out about how ABSURDLEY hard it can be to get an abortion… and how completely unacceptable that is. All of the crazy Christians are out there waving bloody signs and shooting doctors. If the way to fight back is to be open about our experiences then bring it on! I pledge to tell everyone I know, who didn't already know, that I've had an abortion. And it was the best decision I ever made (and I am proud to live in a country where the decision was my own).

Good job with the CNN idiot. Seriously.

I weep for you, because any woman who is jubilant about a miscarriage has heart as cold as the center of Dante's hell.

I don't think she said she was jubilant about it. Not once. Relief is not happiness. Not always.

Bet you are loving the free advertising!

I've been reflecting on a small, little response I had behind my initial applause of your honesty.

To make miscarriages sound run of the mill does diminish, just a bit, the trauma of it all. I am a sub-fertile woman who seems unable to carry a baby to term. I have lost several. I also aborted one when I was 23. To make out that miscarriages are so run of the mill really does make it sounds as if they almost shouldn't be taken that seriously as a personal loss or tragedy. I can assure when I caught my embryo in my hand, there was nothing run of the mill about that. Ordinary in that it happens to women every day, but not to me every day. Every loss is personal story.

Rock on, sister.

Wow, Lance, I am really dumbfounded at YOUR lack of regard for a woman's right to choose. There is no celebrating when an unwanted pregnancy is terminated, in this case it is clear she is relieved that it happened naturally.

I have children and I have had a miscarriage when I wanted a baby, it is a horrible experience under virtually any circumstance. And yes, I had to go into my office and go about my work day pretending everything was fine when I was feeling completely physically and emotionally crippled.

For the 2 successful pregnancies I had, those 9 months made me MORE sure that women deserve the right to choose. I cannot imagine going through it when it was unwanted, it could ruin your life and potentially your career (which obvs. at Penelope's level is a non-issue but for many women it would be).

IMO there are 2 points here:
1) we should be discussing women's health in the workplace and that includes reproductive health.
2) Women DO have the right to choose and what goes on in Wisconsin makes it extremely difficult to make that choice.

Mentioning a miscarriage is not the problem. It's how she framed it. "Having a misscarriage… thank God! Too long to wait for an abortion. Now back to my meeting"

How many women delight in having a miscarriage? How many women treat it as if it's just a blessing and also just a mundane event… a minor interuption in the midst of a meeting?

A baby died the moment of her miscarriage. Had that baby not miscarried and not been aborted… this woman would have a child!!

So, it's not mentioning a miscarriage that has people shocked and amazed. It's the fact that she was so fabulously glad to have a miscarriage and lose her obviously unwanted child. By far one of the saddest things I've ever read.

This is quite a shameful publicity stunt. Whether a woman chooses a pro-life or a pro-choice stance is a personal decision. The fact that this publicity loving "whore" (words taken from another post) chose to broadcast her miscarriage so callously is extremely sad. Yes, miscarriage is a part of life and should be discussed. But to tweet it? Seriously? Is this the new water cooler talk? I think the world may be going mad. Attitude is everything and hers was disgusting.

Some woman are not maternal and are more interested in persuing their careers. Fine, that is their choice. Obviously, with the word "Brazen" in her blog name she needed a post that would be controversial. She got the attention she was after.

And as a college educated, self-employed, Catholic, pro-choice woman, I find you Penelope, to be a poor excuse of a woman.

Most of the time when a woman miscarriages, it is due to the fact that there is something wrong with the embryo or fetus (genetically, developmentally, etc). It can also be due to environment (womb, health of mother, etc) or other causes. It is most likely if this particular embryo or fetus she was carrying (and I am using these terms because there are the medical terms to describe human life at this point) magically survived to term, it would probably NOT survive on its own. What is great is that the human body has a method for terminating early what would be a tragedy. I am not saying these comments to diminish the hardship of a woman losing a pregnancy when it is truly wanted, or saying these are the only reason for miscarriages, but to bring some biologically facts to the table. BTW, medicine defines a miscarriage has a spontaneous abortion.

You cannot be both Catholic and pro-choice.

You rock!!!

That was excellent and articulate.

Ignore the haters.

Im a little disturbed that news presenters are allowed to talk so rudely and adamantly, and express the bias in their opinion and attribute it to their religion.

Well done for handling that interview. It takes a lot of courage to be out there and voice your opinions.

Penelope: You were absolutely right. Your hair did look great!

I confess your tweet made me uncomfortable. But that is easy as I live in Camelot some think. I thought the ABC News article did a good job and made me more comfortable. The fact is I am being perfected over time and know that will fail, so I should not be judgmental of others. Each person has unique circumstances that even a close friend or family member can not fully comprehend so we really need to let each person make their personal choices. Many of my imperfections are hidden from man but I am in no position to judge or imagine what is like to be a young woman at a meeting having a miscarriage that is ironically perceived as a blessing. Your honesty has shown to be productive in the past so I will presume it will bless some this time as well. I know some miscarriages are very sad moments for those striving to have children and I hope that for those better times also lie ahead. Good health to all.

Whether Penelope wants to share her personal life with the world is irrelevant to me. Her entire company was founded on the idea of leveraging her personal brand identity. That's her job.

What bothers me is that she has set herself up as a role model for young workers (Gen Y) and for workers in her own age group (Gen X). I worry that Penelope is telling young women that it's OK to behave as she does, when the truth is much more complex.

Penelope may have the leeway to blog and tweet and talk about her personal life, but the rest of us don't. I can tell you with absolute certainty that my boss and coworkers don't want to know what kind of birth control I am or am not using or how my sex life is or if I'm having a miscarriage. And my boss is a woman, as are many of my coworkers.

Penelope may try to convince you that mixing business and personal is the new model, but having worked in hierarchical businesses for years, I know the opposite is true. Oversharing personal information is what gets women labeled hysterical and emotional which could lead to loss of promotions and responsibility and to loss of income. Is that fair? No. Is it a reality? Yes.

Work is work, and home life is home life. Sometimes they encroach on each other, but making your personal life an open book at work is dangerous business. Penelope tends to oversimplify this fact.

You're not giving enough credit to the people in Gen X & Gen Y. I'm in the Gen Y group and I admire Penelope. It's refreshing, reassuring, and a whole list of other things to see a woman who can speak her mind without even a hint of timidity or shame. I'm someone who is easily intimidated by people who don't agree with me, and this is precisely the reason I chose Penelope as a role model.

At the same time, I know how to use Penelope's advice. I know that it's not some "one size fits all" solution. I use her advice when it applies to me, which is not 100% of the time. She has figured out a way to blend her personal life with her business life. I'm self-aware enough to know that might not work for me and I'm sure other young people are smart enough for that too. When I choose role models, I don't blindly follow them.

Amen to this, Heather – Penelope has little experience in the corporate world. When you are the (Ex) CEO, you can make up your own rules. The majority of the advice she dispenses does/will not play in an F500 company.

Heather, I totally agree with you. My older sister would share her personal details often at work, how she couldn't get child support, anything that was going on with it, if she couldn't make ends meet, etc. Guess what? She has been fired from most of her jobs.

To this day, she still can't understand that her employers want her to work and keep her personal life personal. they are not there to pay her to "talk about her issues" and find herself. I guess I am at an advantage being male as I don't need to do this at all. In fact, I quite prefer the opposite, the less they know about me, the better.

I'm with you, Dan. I'm female but don't believe in – and do NOT want to hear from others – any personal details. Or, let's be honest, personal crap, because that's what I think of personal details. It isn't appropriate in the business world – nor are female parts, male parts, reproduction in general, etc. It's 2009 – we should be past talking about sex and reproduction in general. So 10,000 BC.

Isn't it sad that so many people feel like they can't share their true selves with the people they spend the most time with (their coworkers)? That they would be treated as, and treat other people as, a piece of office equipment that exists only to produce work and has no emotions or life outside of work?

I was very touched by something Penelope wrote recently on another post: "So what Gen Y really wants is people to care about other people at work."

I WANT to know my coworkers on a personal level. Spending that much time around the same people every day and not getting to know them well enough to care about them is so alienating and depressing.

Very well stated…

That comment was directed to Heather:-)

You rock- nice job!

Congratulations! Thank you for speaking out. It is never bad to talk about what is going on in our lives. If people have a problem with what others are saying, they can simply not listen (or read, as the case may be). I don't understand what the uproar is about. Employers have a right to know why their employees will be missing work and Americans have the right to speak freely. No one should be imposing judgments on you for doing or saying what you're comfortable doing or saying.

As an adult who survived a catholic childhood, one of the most frustrating things for me is that shroud of secrecy that catholics tend to erect – which creates denial and shame. It's not healthy. While some people are more private than others, health issues are nothing to hide or be ashamed of. When people talk about what is going on in their lives, they often find support from people they never would have expected. Humans are social creatures and we don't live in a vacuum. Chances are, if you're experiencing something, at least one other person in your social circle has experienced it as well and in that person is a source of support. If you don't talk, you'll never find that person. Please… keep talking!

I think a lot of people are missing the point.

When you are pregnant, and you do not want to continue the pregnancy, and you want an abortion…

…and the only abortion you can have is 3 weeks from now…

…and you have to face the possibility of carrying this pregnancy which slowly but surely is turning from a few cells that it is right now into a fetus in a week, and then in a couple more weeks, getting beating heart, and in a couple of more weeks, getting more and more human…

… when this happens, and you know you want an abortion…

… which by the way, is totally legal!

then yes, having a miscarriage can be a relief.

(I imagine. )

Thank you for doing this! People need to talk about things to get them out into the light where everyone can understand & develop educated opinions!

"I bought into the idea that kids undermine your ability to build an amazing career. And here I am, with the amazing career." And that will get you where in the end? Might want to start planning now what to say to the two children that God gave you that you coldly rejected in exchange for $MONEY$! What a sad commentary on how low we have sunk as a society when we value money and a career over our very own offspring!

Tom, sad thing is, she's broke as a joke, not a very successful financial manager if you ask me!

I am so proud of you, Penelope. You did a great job on CNN, and represented me (a working woman who has had a miscarriage)quite well. I applaud your work – bringing the female experience front and center, making people consider it and talk about it. Thank You!

Great job in the interview! Thank you for your brazenness.

Penelope, I think it's great that you're talking about this stuff and I hope you continue to do so.

I have to admit I was somewhat taken aback when I read of your original tweet, despite having a staunch pro-choice stance. But watching your interview, where you calmly and methodically state facts about miscarriages, the unfairness of Wisconsin requiring a waiting period, and most importantly, that abortion is legal; you have put the spotlight on those issues without putting moral or emotional judgments on them. And the fact is, one would not put a moral judgment on other health crises–so why are 'women's issues' still so taboo?
Thank you. I just wish there could be more of this level of discourse about this issue in this country.

Bravo, Penelope! I am so glad that someone is willing to talk about their experiences without censoring them, just to appease a cultural taboo, or specific social views. All of our experiences can be didactic if we are willing to share them, so thank you for sharing yours. I wish I was more like you, brave and brutally honest. I love your blogs! thank you thank you!

Her wackiness pretty much makes more sense when you relize that Penelope Trunk (nee Adrienne GreenHeart, nee born Adrienne Roston) has aspergers, has two children (one of which has autism),has been divorced and possibly has a non-traditional coparenting deal with her ex (children stay at home while the parents rotate), and is in the business of bloggertising to get "buzz" or "eyeballs" or "clicks" about her blog/networking website/sell books, etc.

She seems to have reinvented herself several times already to take advantage of opportunities. I found her website of work on hypertext novels and reviewed it thinking "What the heck is special about a linked novel deal?" but the deal was she was one of the first to do that on the web circa 1993- 1996 so she got some geek award back then.
This post describes her version of her name hopping:
http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/03/05/my-name-is-not-really-penelope/

So the key thing is that most of what she does is get people thinking and talking about subjects that would get most people run up the sexual and personal harrassment flag pole at standard companies…again, as above, for the business of bloggertising to get "buzz" or "eyeballs" or "clicks" about her blog/networking website/sell books, etc.

If you understand that you will understand why she is going off about abortion, miscarraiges, etc. even if you personally think she is full of sh*t. Many business owners/creaters are to an certain extent this way- they think they know it all and can tell you what to do…

I wonder if her next post will be about used femienine hygene product disposal problems in the workplace

See this post by IRG from 2008 to get the best response to her wacky musings I have read so far:
http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2008/07/25/the-entrepreneurs-guide-to-a-good-divorce-settlement/#comment-158118

You left out Adrienne Eisen, author of the soft porn semi(at least)autographical book Making Scenes.

Thank you Penelope, for making this subject something we don't have to be ashamed to talk about. I truly admire you

Shutup Ariel, you are a spoiled brat child who probably never had a loving father nor was disciplined, truly selfish and clueless.

Regardless of motivation (and it is really immaterial to me what your motivation was when you tweeted the miscarriage–it's your right to tweet whatever you want), you are doing a good thing for everyone by bringing these things into our conversation. And you handled that interview brilliantly. Brava, Penelope.

Jim, abstinence isn't sex. Duh.
John, the point is that no one who has made a real difference in the world has taken the safe, conventional route. They are nonconformists and image-breakers. They make people clinging to the old ways uncomfortable. Like you, apparently.

Make that Dan and Jim, respectively. Sorry, can't edit or remove comment.

no one who has made a real difference in the world

According to whom? Spoiled brat hippies? Right. I don't think so.

Penelope,

I really admire what you did. I think you should be proud of yourself. I am so proud of you. I think you've just shown to the world that being a woman AND having common sense, strong problem-solving skills, and no-bullshit approach is totally normal. God I love you for that! Thank you for doing this. Let's keep on normalizing women who can make their own decisions and not be ashamed of it. Bravo bravo bravo!!!

How refreshingly real. Everyone with their stupid opinions, its only fear,
no one is different, just different perspective. You go girl! I wish I had your balls to speak of the things I have endured…one day. write on…

I'm less confused that you went on CNN to talk about a miscarriage than I am that you don't know what birth control is. Even after 2 previous abortions. If you're so concerned about your company, position, and inconvenience of going to Chicago, then use some condoms. Get on birth control. Use a diaphragm. Seriously, Penelope! I was more responsible at 15 years old than you are at 42…

Interesting. I am not sure either one clearly articulated their points. Also, it was strange watching Sanchez in this role as he is usually a flaming lib. What I think he was getting at was what I noticed as well; the casualness of the discussion of going to get an abortion, as if it was like getting a bikini wax. Frankly, I do not care what choice someone makes as long as I do not have to pay for it. But the casual nature of ending what many think is a human life because it is a nuisance is clearly what is making people uncomfortable.

As to the waiting period in WI, I am reminded of the waiting period to buy guns. How is something a Constitutional Right yet can be abridged? In any event, if you do not like PT's tweets, stop following her. I find nuggets of info on this site occasionally but more importantly, I am entertained watching a successful career crash into a chaotic personal life.

I think that whether you agree with a woman's right to an abortion or not, some would at least agree that getting an early abortion rather than a later one is preferred. It is one thing for a "day to think it over" or something, however that assumes you have readied access to medical care, which was not available. However, to wait 3 weeks is crazy and could potential(though not necessarily) add more risk to the woman by having the pregnancy continue those 3 additional weeks. It is definitely different from having to wait 3 weeks to buy a gun.

Erin,

The point I was making was that neither activity, if found to be Constitutional, should be subject to the limitations of a waiting period. Either you have the Right or you do not. And it should not be subject to the whims of what some groups like or dislike. From your tone, it appears that you are fine with a waiting period to buy a gun, which is a Right actually in the Constitution, but not with one for an abortion. I guess it depends upon whose ox is being gored, eh?

THANK YOU for your honesty, Penelope. Thank you for sparking an important conversation.

Great job with the interview, Penelope. Very impressive.
He was so one-sided – we might think he was just doing his job because, unfortunately most people in this world think like him (or the drafted questions). And the media selfishly entertains such people and attitude.

I thoroughly enjoy reading your blog, please keep it up.
-K

After reading your blog i realized that you have been through a lot in life.All struggle , pain , sacrifices you have done in your life is totally a lesson worth learning .
The hardwork has really made what you are today in life .That is successful.

I am suppose to believe you have anything of value to say when you are not even responsible enough to use a birth control method? Thank the stars that the pregnancy ended you would make a horrible mother!

Clearly, people need to understand their reproductive organs and the effectiveness of contraceptives. I'd be one of them; I had no idea miscarriages took that much time. I was aware of how difficult it can be to get an abortion in some states.

The comments on this blog are nearly always at least as entertaining as the blog itself. I'm especially amused by the venom of a few chronic commentors; I wonder why you'd spend so much time and invest so much energy spewing your contempt when you could be enjoying those beautiful children gifted to you by your god.

Penelope, your hair does look great in that interview. Whether you've done it for attention or money or fame, you've still raised awareness about what happens during a miscarriage and the roadblocks women face when trying to get a legal abortion. For that, I thank you.

Years ago a dear friend confided that she had had a miscarriage at work. I had no idea of what she was going through at the time. Did not really know what a miscarriage was like. She and I were co-workers sitting just a few feet away from each other. We had lunch together often. And yet, the "taboo" of discussing miscarriage kept me from having the opportunity to offer help or a shoulder to lean on. To be a real friend in a difficult time. Only after time had passed and she had a much-awaited healthy baby, could she tell me what she had endured. Keep up the good work, Penelope!

This is just exhibitionism. And like most exhibitionists, PT enjoys the negative attention as much as the positive recognition. What would upset her more than the finger pointing moralism would be if there were just 7 comments on this post.

It is a good thing you are available to add to them then.

PT, I love that you left the interviewer in the hot seat and made him ask the questions he was so uncomfortable asking instead of cowering to his position and sounding defensive in your answers. And, you did a great job of leveraging his questions so you could advance your messages: (1) miscarriages are a (sad, but) normal part of life and work happens during life, and (2) in our country, women have the right (not the obligation) to get an abortion, so it's silly that some states mount obstacles that interfere with that right.

Nice interview, PT!

Cheerios, Kathleen

I just take issue with the "75% of women have miscarriages". I don't think that is an accurate number. Personally, I would never post something as intimate as a miscarriage. But this whole blogging, reality tv, 'I want my 15 min. of fame' culture we live in just makes me sad.

Penelope,
Thanks for the excellent job you did with that interview, staying calm and reasonable, not taking the bait. (I'm wondering if the Asberger's is partly to credit for that,, allowing you to be objective when under attack. I could never have been so articulate and calm as you were.)

I well remember the relief my mother felt in 1958 when she had a miscarriage, back before abortion was legal. We women have kept so much of our biology under wraps – miscarriage, abortion, menopause. I'm so glad to see the light of day putting focus on our secret lives, thanks to courageous women like you.

I still can't figure out how CNN knows what Penelope tweeted…

And, when we say she sent it to her co-workers was that 100 people or 5 of her colleagues?

Last thing I wanna say – I totally cringe when he was trying to ask her about the actual miscarriage. Yipes!

You should be TOTALLY ashamed of yourself!!! You shouldn't even have the right to call yourself a "mother". Whether the tweet was real or not. You sound disturbed, narcississtic, and in need of some MAJOR psychotherapy.

ABORTION = MURDER
PROCHOICERS = PROMURDERERS

THAT SIMPLE!!!

If you don't want kids, keep your legs shut. Sew your vagina shut. Use birth control. Go lesbian.

And get rid of your friggin b*tch-ass god complex.

Hey, Pro-Lifer,

Agreed that Ms. Trunk is wacky.

A deeper question for you is: How many special-needs or older children have you adopted? All pro-life people adopt special needs and older children, right? Or do pro-life people just want to push their morals on other people and make those people raise their own children?

Just asking.

Hey Penelope, right on. It's not too much information, not in this day and age. It furthe