Sofia Franklyn Reveals Abortion in Memoir Excerpt, Battling Shame

Sofia Franklyn, co-creator of the podcast 'Call Her Daddy,' has revealed she underwent an abortion in 2023, detailing the emotional toll and her struggle with "self-imposed exile and shame" in an excerpt from her upcoming memoir, "Daddy Issues."

In the piece published by Vanity Fair, Franklyn, 34, described the experience as one with no clear "right way to talk about this." She expressed that while she can usually reconcile past events, her feelings surrounding the abortion remain unresolved, and sharing the experience publicly "still feels very wrong." Her hope in doing so is to find release from the shame and isolation she has felt.

Franklyn recounted taking abortion pills at home, an experience that resulted in heavy bleeding and an "emotional clusterf**k that's to come," with no guidance provided for the aftermath. She stated the ordeal left her feeling unrecognizable to herself, and she is opening up to help other women feel less alone.

She explained that she had taken emergency contraception, believing pregnancy was unlikely. However, a positive test led her to Planned Parenthood for an abortion. Franklyn noted she appeared "six months pregnant" during a family trip for her birthday due to a "post-procedure belly," despite being only about five weeks pregnant at the time of the procedure. She confided in her mother about the experience, admitting it left her feeling guilty and questioning her readiness to protect new life while grappling with her own perceived unfulfilled existence.

Franklyn's revelation comes as her former co-host, Alex Cooper, recently announced the birth of her child. The abortion also coincided with Franklyn's highly publicized fallout with Cooper, which occurred in 2020 during contract renegotiations with Barstool Sports. Franklyn had been engaged to a mystery man in September.

The "Call Her Daddy" podcast was launched in 2018 by Franklyn and Cooper under Barstool Sports. Their partnership dissolved amidst a public feud over renegotiating their contract. Franklyn accused Cooper of betrayal during discussions with Barstool founder Dave Portnoy. Reports at the time indicated the co-hosts were seeking to leave the company for other opportunities. While the podcast was on hiatus, rumors of conflict between them circulated. Portnoy stated he offered them a revised deal, which Cooper was willing to accept, but Franklyn was not. Portnoy alleged Franklyn's boyfriend was influencing the situation. Franklyn ultimately did not accept the new deal, leading Cooper to continue the podcast alone.

In June, Franklyn appeared on Jason Tartick's "Trading Secrets" podcast, reflecting on the fallout and admitting she wished she had taken more time to heal and process the situation instead of immediately focusing on work.