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Hey John,
It’s been six months since the Supreme Court overturned Roe V. Wade, where millions lost the ability to access abortions. It’s also been one month since major wins in the midterm elections, where every pro-abortion ballot measure passed and every anti-abortion ballot measure failed! But, when we only talk about abortion during moments of big losses and wins, it can be easy to lose momentum for the greater movement. As we reach the end of 2022, we must recommit to fighting for a better future—we must destigmatize abortion and bring the facts to every conversation. When advocating for abortion care, here are some tips to remember:
Abortions affect everyone: One in four women will have an abortion in their lifetime, which doesn’t count all the folks across the gender spectrum who also get abortions. The abortion patient is far from a monolith, and just like any other medical procedure, people from all walks of life will need this health care to be available to them. Abortion care isn’t a last resort—it’s an essential health care procedure we all need access to live full and healthy lives.
References to coat hangers and back-alley abortions can actually stoke fear: While important to recognize history, overusing imagery from a past where abortion was unsafe may stoke fear and dissuade people from accessing abortion care. Furthermore, science has advanced in the last 50 years. We are lucky to live in a time when the abortion pill exists and where folks on the ground have created local abortion networks. Let’s focus on our progress and how far we’ve come to make abortions safer for everyone.
That’s why we also avoid references to The Handmaid’s Tale: When talking about abortion, it’s easy to use a fictional future to explain the state of the world, especially one from a feminist classic. But references to a dystopia where white women are only considered for their reproductive potential and don’t have agency over their bodies can alienate communities vital to our movement, including Indigenous, Black, Latinx, and disabled folks. This is already the reality for these communities due to a documented history of reproductive coercion and denial of bodily autonomy, and these costumes can unintentionally center white women in a movement meant for us ALL.
Abortions are not always a worst-case scenario: Abortion is just health care, meaning some folks might not feel sad, traumatized, or harrowed by the experiences that led them to need an abortion—and that experience is just as valid and worthy of protection. When anti-abortion lawmakers ban abortion but allow “exceptions” if a patient has been violated or is in danger, they want you to think of abortion as a worst-case scenario. In reality, we need to understand that the reason someone chooses to have an abortion should not bear weight on if they can access one. All abortions are valid, whether they are traumatic or not.
We want all abortions to be accessible: Many states are passing partial abortion bans at six, 15, and 20 weeks. Restrictions within any time frame still deny people the freedom and autonomy to access the care they need. To truly believe in abortion access, we cannot support any restrictions. Believing in abortion access means we want all abortions, in all situations, to be accessible to anyone who needs it—without political barriers of any kind.
Thank you for continuing the work to destigmatize abortion within yourself and the people around you. Together, we can work to build a world where abortion care is always available and accessible to everyone.
In solidarity,
Caitlin Panarella
she/her/hers
Campaigns Associate
National Women's Law Center
P.S. If you’re interested in continuing to destigmatize abortion: check out our other posts and TikToks in the series! and share them on social media!
Guess what—abortion can be an easy decision! Or it might not be at all. Having an abortion is deeply personal, and we don’t need to know or assume anything about how someone came to need abortion care. Learn more about how YOU can destigmatize abortion at nwlc.org/destigmatize!
Abortion can be many things, but above all, abortions are safe and happen every day. Patients feel a range of emotions about their abortion, including anything from joy, to relief, to sadness, to anger, to ambivalence. Learn more about how YOU can destigmatize abortion at nwlc.org/destigmatize!
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