How many times have you seen someone give birth on a TV show or movie? Most likely plenty of times. Now, how many times have you seen an abortion on a TV show or movie? Most likely none. In the U.S., the discourse about abortion is one that is practically non-existent within our everyday lives.
Unless you are active in a space where abortion is consistently discussed, you rarely hear about it. You may be thinking that this topic does not pertain to you, but when 1 in 4 women in the United States have an abortion, then this topic warrants further discussion by everybody.
I repeat, 1 in 4 women will have an abortion. Don’t believe me? You can find the research conducted by the Guttmacher Institute, a research organization dedicated to providing statistics and data on abortion nationally and globally. This is due to the fact that people have abortions for both wanted and unwanted pregnancies! Our society has socialized us to believe that pregnancy and birth are completely normal and rarely occur without complications.
That couldn’t be farther from the truth, especially if you are a Black, Latine, or Indigenous person. Pregnancy and birth can be dangerous procedures, and this faulty perception is part of the problem in stigmatizing abortion. People who wanted to have a baby, parents who dreamed of growing their family, and even individuals who have had challenges becoming pregnant and finally do so, – also have abortions.
A multitude of challenges and complications can occur, such as sepsis, an ectopic pregnancy, placental abruption, or eclampsia that would require the pregnant person to need an abortion to save their life, their fertility, or both. Abortion is essential and life-saving healthcare.
The limited and lack thereof conversation about abortion both at home and in the media tend to refer to abortions that happen in certain circumstances such as rape or incest. Each of these cases is valid and deserves to be treated with respect, care, and compassion. At the same time, pregnant people who already have children, individuals in their 40s40’s, and those pregnant people who wanted to have their baby, also have abortions. There is no one-size-fits-all.
Continuing to silo abortions into the “good vs. bad” abortion narrative only further stigmatizes abortion and does not account for the real reality that people have and require abortions for a variety of reasons. If we, as a society, do not work on myth-busting negative narratives on abortion, we will see the consequences. Even more than we already have.
At this point, you’re probably wondering, “Okay, abortion is important, but it does not impact me.”. When the U.S. Supreme Court stripped the fundamental right to abortion with the overturn of Roe v. Wade in 2022, this catapulted increasing attacks against abortion across the country. As a result, now 26 states have some form of an abortion ban implemented, specifically Southern states.
Just because politicians pass laws to ban abortion, forcing clinics to shut down and keep doctors from providing abortions, does not mean that people will stop having abortions. Especially with the increase in telehealth medicine and medication abortion, which accounts for about 1 in 5 abortions in the U.S. today.
People will continue to need and decide to have abortions, both for wanted and unwanted pregnancies, whether it’s legal or not. So yes, this does impact you even if you don’t live in a state where there is an abortion ban, because you never know if your state will be next to face restrictions. To be clear, I am not advocating for the restoration of Roe v. Wade because, frankly, it did not create equal access to abortion specifically for Black, Latine, and Indigenous people, as well as, individuals from the LGBTQ+ community. I argue that in order to have real and sustainable access to abortion, we need collective liberation for all.
To make this a reality it will require advocacy from all of us; you, me, your best friend, the person that’s taking your coffee order in the morning, the individual scanning your groceries, the person fixing your car, the next big podcaster you’re currently listening to, the tías, aunties, and abuelas. This includes the dads, brothers, and the tíos too (yes, you too). Equal access to abortion requires collective liberation, and in order to get there, we need to start conversing about the necessity for abortion care.
Refraining from talking about abortion does not make abortion go away. It only forces people to have to go through extreme lengths to get the care they deserve. It’s beyond time to start talking about it, and I encourage you to do some research to learn how to use language that destigmatizes abortion. Start with someone you trust or feel comfortable with, such as a parent, friend, mentor, or neighbor.
If you don’t know where to begin, then check out this resource by AVOW, an abortion advocacy organization based in Texas. Whether you know it or not, everyone loves someone who’s had an abortion. So if you love anyone who has the ability to become pregnant and give birth, then you should care about access to abortion care. You never know if you or your loved one will need one.
*Note: I utilize the language “pregnant people” because women are not the only individuals who have abortions. Trans, non-binary, and individuals who are gender-expansive deserve and need access to abortion care too.