I am enraged by the continued decimation of our reproductive rights in this country. This particular issue impacts me on a very personal level as a professional working almost exclusively with the perinatal population, as a woman with a uterus, as a mother of two girls, and as someone who had an abortion as a young adult.
Learning that we are losing the federal right to terminate a pregnancy that we cannot or do not want to continue is a huge abuse in itself, but amongst the backdrop of the hellscape that is parental support in this country it feels like a searing personal attack.
The government that can essentially force people to remain pregnant and birth babies against their will is the same government that every step of the way makes it nearly impossible to raise babies here without going broke, suffering crippling anxiety, or both.
Our federal government is doing nothing to reform a healthcare system with the highest maternal mortality rate in the industrialized world and soaring out-of-pocket costs for parents. It does not provide any guaranteed paid parental leave or subsidized childcare. Right now, it's struggling to supply our country's existing infants with enough baby formula to survive. Our federal government can't even make progress on laws that would protect our children from getting murdered by assault weapons in our public schools.
Like many of you, I'm feeling so angry, overwhelmed, and also helpless. But there are two action steps I keep hearing from expert activists that I'd like to share and encourage you to do the same if you are so moved.
Donate to an abortion fund.
Share your own personal story with abortion.
We all know someone who is touched by abortion, although we may not realize it because it is so stigmatized and women often go through it silently. But, I won't be silent or ashamed any longer, and neither should you.
Reader, I had an abortion. When I was 21 years old I got pregnant after two different methods of birth control failed (broken condom and morning after pill). While it certainly didn’t feel that way at the time, I was so lucky. I felt safe talking to my mom who supported me as I decided I wanted an abortion. I had access to a safe abortion with a skilled OB/GYN in a clean hospital. I had follow up care. I even could have it quick enough to return to college for the start of a semester and not miss any classes.
The fact that I was able to have an abortion opened up even more opportunities to me, international travel, graduate school, a carefree young adulthood, the ability to start my own business, the chance to meet my life partner untethered by a child from a former relationship, the CHOICE to become a parent when I was emotionally ready. The fact that I was able to have an abortion enabled me to be where I am today, writing to you as your chiropractor.
The truth is, abortion will always exist for those of us privileged enough to travel to get one safely. But I believe this choice should belong to everyone who might find themselves pregnant at any stage of life, and their partners if they have one. Not just the wealthy or those privileged to live in states where abortion will remain safe and legal. "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere", said Martin Luther King, Jr. And right now, we have raging injustice towards women in this country and it is threatening the rights of us all.
I encourage you all to share your abortion story with those who will listen. To donate to abortion funds to make abortion accessible to those who need one today and cannot get one. To contact our state legislators and implore them to protect our lives with reproductive rights and comprehensive gun law reform. To vote for leaders who will fight for these rights. Because if you don't think abortion affects you, you're wrong.