I had two very different abortions. There's no one-size policy for reproductive health.
At 21 years old, I sat on my bed and stared at the two lines that revealed themselves on my pregnancy test. I had just begun my acting career and had little money of my own. Not only was I now pregnant – I was terrified.
In seeking the right option for myself at the time, I decided to have an abortion with the support of my then-partner. I knew at 21 what choice I needed to make for myself – as does every young person going through a similar experience – and for my future.
A few years after my abortion, as I was further along in my career and ready for a child, I became pregnant and miscarried. In order to aid the process, I needed to take an abortion pill to self-manage the miscarriage – once again, making the right choice for myself and my body. In these moments, I feared the abortion stigma from family, friends and – being in the entertainment industry – the public.
I didn’t realize then how fortunate I was to have access to the reproductive health care I needed, but now I understand just how privileged this access was.
Needing an abortion for different reasons showed me that reproductive health care is not a one-size-fits-all concept, and we can’t see it as one.
No two abortions are the same. Bans don't reflect that.
Since the Supreme Court’s consequential decision to roll back abortion rights, millions of people have been stripped of the same reproductive health care I was grateful to have all those years ago. Anti-abortion politicians are threatening reproductive health care with abortion bans and restrictions, preventing people from lifesaving treatment.
This includes the looming decision by the Supreme Court on the Food and Drug Administration's approval of mifepristone – a safe and accessible option used in more than half of the abortions in the United States.
I think about what my life would be like today if I didn’t have access to the reproductive health care I received years ago, and I am terrified for those who have to experience this as their reality. Everyone deserves to make their own decisions about their own bodies – just as I did.
Unfortunately, this is the reality that politicians have created for us: either be forced to go through childbirth, face legal consequences for seeking or aiding abortion care or face near death from pregnancy complications.
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There are now 21 states that ban or restrict abortions, impacting millions of Americans. We could soon see a federal ban on mifepristone, impacting all Americans.
Self-managing an abortion through medication is one of the safest, most accessible and effective ways for people to seek treatment, and it allows people to make reproductive decisions for their own bodies on their own terms.
This includes situations like mine, where it was medically necessary to end a miscarriage. No two abortions are the same, but all abortion options should be available and stigma-free for everyone, no matter why or how.
Everyone deserves the choices I had
As I witnessed the most recent attacks on reproductive rights and the stigmatization of abortion, I knew I couldn’t keep quiet any longer. For that reason, last year, I shared my story publicly, hoping it would help at least one person not feel ashamed of making a medically necessary decision for themselves.
I also hoped that speaking out about the importance of abortion would inspire others to advocate for reproductive rights and freedoms, because we all deserve bodily autonomy.
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In this time of purposeful confusion led by anti-abortion politicians, it is imperative we turn to experts and organizers who are on the ground, fighting for reproductive rights and educating people on their options.
URGE: Unite for Reproductive & Gender Equity is an organization centered around reproductive justice, especially for young people and people of color in the South and Midwest who face the toughest barriers to obtaining the reproductive care they need.
Providing resources, advocating for abortion rights and leading ballot initiatives, URGE activists understand what’s at stake if we lose bodily autonomy, and they’re at the front lines fighting to protect it. This month, URGE is hosting its annual Self-Managed Abortion Fest, where young people across the country are sharing their own experiences and stories of self-managing abortions, aiming to destigmatize and share the importance of this abortion option.
As the threats to reproductive health care escalate, it is imperative we lean on one another, sharing our own experiences to destigmatize abortions and call for accessible care. Following the direction of reproductive justice organizations, we must organize together so that all young people can access the abortion care they need, without shame or stigma.
We all have stories – just like I did at 21 – and we deserve to be heard.
Torrey DeVitto is an actress and activist.