--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: He had heard her say, so many times, that…" description: "\"He had heard her say, so many times, that a society that approved of making abortion illegal was a society that approved of violence against women; tha..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e1b/john-irving-337_abortion_he-had-heard-her-say-so-many-times-that_2278101.png" --- # He had heard her say, so many times, that a society that… ![“He had heard her say, so many times, that a society that approved of making abortion illegal was a society that approved of violence against women; that making abortion illegal was simply a sanctimonious, self-righteous form of violence against women- it was just another way of legalizing violence…” quote by John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e1b/john-irving-337_abortion_he-had-heard-her-say-so-many-times-that_2278101.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e1b/john-irving-337_abortion_he-had-heard-her-say-so-many-times-that_2278101.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e1b/john-irving-337_abortion_he-had-heard-her-say-so-many-times-that_2278101.png) > “He had heard her say, so many times, that a society that approved of making abortion illegal was a society that approved of violence against women; that making abortion illegal was simply a sanctimonious, self-righteous form of violence against women- it was just another way of legalizing violence against women, Nurse Caroline would say.” [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Legal restrictions on abortion are framed as moral but actually perpetuate violence against women. **In simple terms:** Banning abortion is a form of violence against women. Key Takeaway Recognize how laws can harm vulnerable groups. Themes women's rights law morality Mood critical reflective Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - legislative debate - healthcare advocacy - education campaigns Key Concepts feminist ethics social justice Questions to Reflect On - How does framing affect public perception? - What alternatives protect women's autonomy? A Different Perspective Legal change alone may not shift deep cultural attitudes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Abortion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abortion/) [Abortion Illegal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abortion-illegal-882823/) [Approved Violence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/approved-violence-5306507/) [Form](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/form/) [Freedom of choice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom-of-choice/) [Heard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heard/) [Illegal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/illegal/) [Legalizing Violence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/legalizing-violence-5306508/) [Making Abortion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/making-abortion-358898/) [Nurse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nurse/) [Righteous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/righteous/) [Sanctimonious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sanctimonious/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Self righteous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-righteous/) [Violence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/violence/) [Violence against women](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/violence-against-women/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) [Women 's rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/women-s-rights/) ## Related quotes > [You want Romney and a small government, but how does making abortion illegal and controlling people's rights represent that?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-want-romney-and-a-small-government-but-how-does-making-abortion/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you're making abortion illegal and undermining the various things that will allow the prevention of that need, it can only be a situation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-parker/if-you-re-making-abortion-illegal-and-undermining-the-various-things/) [Willie Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-parker/) > [There was no mistake in us making abortion legal and available on demand. That was what we call progress. Just like it was no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-ruffalo/there-was-no-mistake-in-us-making-abortion-legal-and-available-on/) [Mark Ruffalo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-ruffalo/) > [Ronald Reagan never did much to make abortion illegal. He did, however, deliver videotaped greetings, fulsome in praise for his hosts, to antiabortion rallies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-perlstein/ronald-reagan-never-did-much-to-make-abortion-illegal-he-did-however/) [Rick Perlstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-perlstein/) > [I get asked this question a lot. Am I really pro-life? Am I against abortion in all circumstances? Yes. Do I believe there are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abby-johnson/i-get-asked-this-question-a-lot-am-i-really-pro-life-am-i-against/) [Abby Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abby-johnson/) > [ \[The Republicans\] all want to see women's rights eroded and for abortion to become illegal again. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/the-republicans-all-want-to-see-women-s-rights-eroded-and-for/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [ Leafing through Forbes or Fortune \[magazine\]s is like reading the operating manual of a strangely sanctimonious pirate ship ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-gopnik/leafing-through-forbes-or-fortune-magazine-s-is-like-reading-the/) [Adam Gopnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-gopnik/) > [“Have you met thy Lord, my son? Have you been dead before, father?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/have-you-met-thy-lord-my-son-have-you-been-dead-before-father/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) > [I have a liberal definition of news because I think news can be what excites people. I'm not very sanctimonious about what news is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-sawyer/i-have-a-liberal-definition-of-news-because-i-think-news-can-be-what/) [Diane Sawyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-sawyer/) > [I have a zero tolerance for sanctimonious morons who try to scare people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-robertson/i-have-a-zero-tolerance-for-sanctimonious-morons-who-try-to-scare/) [Pat Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-robertson/) > [The last thing I want to be is sanctimonious, but the thing that frustrates me is the deceit and betrayal, how there's one rule…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-walsh/the-last-thing-i-want-to-be-is-sanctimonious-but-the-thing-that/) [James Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-walsh/) > [Pompous asses knows how to put the moan in sanctimonious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-hargreaves/pompous-asses-knows-how-to-put-the-moan-in-sanctimonious/) [Andy Hargreaves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-hargreaves/) > [I hated the things they believe in, the things they so innocently and charmingly pretended. I hated the sanctimonious piety that let people hurt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-glasgow/i-hated-the-things-they-believe-in-the-things-they-so-innocently-and/) [Ellen Glasgow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-glasgow/) > [Even if people do wrong, we're social animals, so what can we do about stopping them doing the same things in future? Saying people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-mina/even-if-people-do-wrong-we-re-social-animals-so-what-can-we-do-about/) [Denise Mina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-mina/) > [“All you have to do is convince the sanctimonious that they are free of all sin and they'll start throwing stones, or bombs, with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-ruiz-zafon/all-you-have-to-do-is-convince-the-sanctimonious-that-they-are-free/) [Carlos Ruiz Zafón](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-ruiz-zafon/) ## More by John Irving > [Your memory is a monster; you forget - it doesn't. It simply files things away. It keeps things for you, or hides things from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/your-memory-is-a-monster-you-forget-it-doesn-t-it-simply-files-things/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [Our memory is a monster; you forget it - it does not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/our-memory-is-a-monster-you-forget-it-it-does-not/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [… and so he tried to accept the ache in his heart as what Dr. Larch would call the common symptoms of normal life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/and-so-he-tried-to-accept-the-ache-in-his-heart-as-what-dr-larch/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [Watch out for people who call themselves religious; make sure you know what they mean––make sure they know what they mean!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/watch-out-for-people-who-call-themselves-religious-make-sure-you-know/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [The desire to never leave your side, the desire to never see you again. The desire to see your face asleep on the pillow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/the-desire-to-never-leave-your-side-the-desire-to-never-see-you-again/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [I had been a student in Vienna, and one of the neat little things I had found out was about that zoo. It was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/i-had-been-a-student-in-vienna-and-one-of-the-neat-little-things-i/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“God, I think I just hit a high E-flat - and I really held it!" Esmeralda said, after one of her more prolonged orgasms,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/god-i-think-i-just-hit-a-high-e-flat-and-i-really-held-it-esmeralda/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“Nostalgia!" Miss Frost cried. "You´re nostalgic!" She repeated. "Just how old are you, William?" She asked. "Seventeen, " I told her. "Seventeen!" Miss Frost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/nostalgia-miss-frost-cried-you-re-nostalgic-she-repeated-just-how-old/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [ “JUST BECAUSE A BUNCH OF ATHEISTS ARE BETTER WRITERS THAN THE GUYS WHO WROTE THE BIBLE DOESN'T NECESSARILY MAKE THEM RIGHT!" \[Owen Meany\] said… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/just-because-a-bunch-of-atheists-are-better-writers-than-the-guys-who/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [It is much easier to be flexible about where a story begins than it ever was for me to change my mind about where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/it-is-much-easier-to-be-flexible-about-where-a-story-begins-than-it/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“Only the chicken-lover will understand me. He will give me a kindly look, maybe mildly desirous. His eyes will tell me: You might look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/only-the-chicken-lover-will-understand-me-he-will-give-me-a-kindly/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [You're nice,' Cushie told him, squeezing his hand. 'And you're my oldest friend.' But they both must have known that you can know someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/you-re-nice-cushie-told-him-squeezing-his-hand-and-you-re-my-oldest/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“Because of A Prayer for Owen Meany, many of my readers assume I am “religious.” I go to church only occasionally—like a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/because-of-a-prayer-for-owen-meany-many-of-my-readers-assume-i-am/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“Did anyone who was in love and was unsatisfied with how he was loved in return ever feel saved?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/did-anyone-who-was-in-love-and-was-unsatisfied-with-how-he-was-loved/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“I TRUST THAT GOD WILL HELP ME, BECAUSE WHAT I’M SUPPOSED TO DO LOOKS VERY HARD.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/i-trust-that-god-will-help-me-because-what-i-m-supposed-to-do-looks/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) [Explore all 641 John Irving quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) ## More Abortion quotes > [“Conception is the beginning of human life. From the time that an ovum is fertilized a new life begins that is neither that of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/declaration-on-procured-abortion-congregation-for-the-doctrine-of-the-faith-1974/conception-is-the-beginning-of-human-life-from-the-time-that-an-ovum/) [Declaration on Procured Abortion Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith 1974](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/declaration-on-procured-abortion-congregation-for-the-doctrine-of-the-faith-1974/) > [Hey everyone, in case y'all didn't hear, I'm pregnat, and after discussing it w/ my family, I've decided to get an abortion, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madison-badesheim/hey-everyone-in-case-y-all-didn-t-hear-i-m-pregnat-and-after/) [Madison Badesheim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madison-badesheim/) > [There was no mistake in us making abortion legal and available on demand. That was what we call progress. 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Many base that claim on China's strict population laws, which allow them to have only one child.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-koch/the-chinese-describe-themselves-as-political-refugees-many-base-that/) [Ed Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-koch/) > [I'm a pro-life candidate because I believe that science is proving us right every day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carly-fiorina/i-m-a-pro-life-candidate-because-i-believe-that-science-is-proving-us/) [Carly Fiorina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carly-fiorina/) > [I've noticed that everyone who is for abortion…has been born.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/i-ve-noticed-that-everyone-who-is-for-abortion-has-been-born/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [We talk a lot about how abortion is a medical procedure, but actually if you look at what the other side is doing, they're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-northup/we-talk-a-lot-about-how-abortion-is-a-medical-procedure-but-actually/) [Nancy Northup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-northup/) > [“The Vatican won't prosecute pedophile priests but I decide I'm not ready for motherhood and it's condemnation for me? 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Lynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-w-lynn/) [Browse all 1,629 Abortion quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abortion/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "He had heard her say, so many times, that a society that approved of making abortion illegal was a society that approved of violence against women; that making abortion illegal was simply a sanctimonious, self-righteous form of violence against women- it was just another way of legalizing violence against women, Nurse Caroline would say.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Irving" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/he-had-heard-her-say-so-many-times-that-a-society-that-approved-of/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Abortion" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/he-had-heard-her-say-so-many-times-that-a-society-that-approved-of/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e1b/john-irving-337_abortion_he-had-heard-her-say-so-many-times-that_2278101.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e1b/john-irving-337_abortion_he-had-heard-her-say-so-many-times-that_2278101.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e1b/john-irving-337_abortion_he-had-heard-her-say-so-many-times-that_2278101.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“He had heard her say, so many times, that a society that approved of making abortion illegal was a society…” — John Irving", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "John Irving", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "He had heard her say, so...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/he-had-heard-her-say-so-many-times-that-a-society-that-approved-of/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/he-had-heard-her-say-so-many-times-that-a-society-that-approved-of/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```