Today marks Roe Day, the anniversary of the contentious 1973 Supreme Court decision which legalized abortion.
Even as more and more films, books and television shows break the abortion taboo, abortion remains a right on paper only for many American women, with a forthcoming Supreme Court case threatening access for many more. Though the current situation is dire at best, a recent trend in pro-choice activism has been to play the long game by working slowly to erase stigma and shame. This has been in the form of speakouts and storytelling using the power of social media.
Recently the viral hashtag #Shoutyourabortion garnered unprecedented interest on social media, and a great deal of harassment for its participants and organizers. Today one of those organizers, Amelia Bonow, shares her story along with others under the banner of #1in3speaks. Several notable politicians, activists and entertainers, including Wendy Davis and Lizz Winstead have joined the speakout. Participants’ stories thus far are unsurprisingly diverse and poignant. Watch on Youtube and follow along on Twitter.