Creating Space & Support for All Women Who have Abortions (Young Feminists‪)‬

Because of my work at the Reproductive Health Technologies Project (RHTP), I am often the one people turn to during happy hour or other social events when they want to talk about hot issues related to abortion and reproductive health--I'm sure others who work in the pro-choice movement can relate. Recently, abortion has risen to the forefront of conversations again, in part due to the extensive media coverage of the murder of abortion provider Dr. George Tiller by an anti-choice extremist. That tragic event and the ensuing public discussion generated debates and dialogue about abortion itself and the women who seek abortions. It also, I hope, has created an opportunity for people to reconsider how they feel about abortions that occur after the first trimester--such as those Dr. Tiller performed. After Dr. Tiller's murder in May, one of the most frequent public discussions addressed one specific segment of the women he had served as a provider: women who decided to terminate a wanted pregnancy after learning about a fetal-illness or other severe anomaly that threatened the woman's health or that of the fetus. These stories, told by women, men, bloggers, and columnists, were often agonizing and heart-breaking. They described personal experiences with abortion late in the second and into the third trimester that were deeply moving and generated genuine sympathy. The response to these stories often resonated above the usual political hostility that exists on issues of choice. In fact, the outpouring of support and understanding for these women and their families was something that I have rarely seen, regardless of the issue.