The Launch Of ‘Abortion In America’

Less than four days out from what is gearing up to be the most consequential presidential election in modern history, for many voters, the subject of abortion is front and center of the ballot. Two years since the landmark Roe v. Wade decision was overturned, the topic of abortion rights remains a heated and polarizing issue across state and party lines.

As individual states have sought to interpret and implement these restrictions, we have seen countless headlines propagating the politicization of abortion, raising questions and confusion as to the legal ramifications these restrictions spell for women across the country. What we have not heard, however, are the voices of those whose lives, bodies and hopes are directly impacted by this changing landscape of reproductive rights.

A shared mission to humanize the suffering and stories behind these policies led to the creation of Abortion in America – an organization aimed at amplifying these muted voices at the helm of increasingly restrictive abortion laws. Last week in NYC, the organization launched their new platform led by former Planned Parenthood president Cecile Richards, Florida abortion provider Eileen Diamond, Baton-Rouge-based mom and advocate Kaitlyn Joshua, writer Lauren Peterson and Florida reproductive freedom advocate Lillian Tamayo. This project brings together front-line storytellers and journalists chronicling this unprecedented moment for American women, families and communities.

The platform hosts a collection of stories from people whose lives have been deeply affected by abortion bans. These stories come not only from patients but healthcare providers, family members, policymakers, advocates, communities, and faith leaders. By offering a wide range of perspectives through individual storytelling, the organization hopes to provide a more comprehensive view of the reality imposed by these restrictions and drive cross-community, cross- country and collective advocacy.

Storytelling to shift public opinion

Richards, a lifelong women’s rights advocate who is currently battling an aggressive form of brain cancer, has spent her career championing a woman’s right to choose. In the wake of Roe v Wade’s overturning, Richards co-founded Charley – a chatbot that aims to provide users with confidential and accurate information when seeking abortion care.

Taking the floor at the ‘Abortion in America’ launch event at NYC’s Ford Foundation October 23rd, she shared how she is again looking to invoke the power of technology in her advocacy, yet this time, with a renewed focus on empowering storytelling in a rapidly developing digital age.

Richards was followed by Samantha Barry, recently appointed as the first global editorial director of Glamour Magazine. Barry spoke to the critical role transparency plays in reporting and proudly reflected on Glamour’s historical commitment to resist political pressure by publishing location availability for abortion services.

Addressing the room, both women reiterated how storytelling forms the crux of Abortion in America’s mission, reminding us not to underestimate the virality this sort of vulnerability and transparency may promise in shaping public opinion on abortion bans. The last two years have seen a stream of devastating headlines about the needless deaths of women denied access to abortion care. But how much do we know about these women, their lives, their families, and the devastation they are left with? In what is a profoundly uncomfortable topic for many, stories contextualize not only the lives of women directly impacted but the resilience and strength of the communities around them.

HIS Voice in this movement

One of the most innovative features of ‘Abortion in America’ is the ability to filter stories by state, providing a localized view of reproductive rights in different regions. It also allows us to hear these stories by voice and, most importantly, familiarize ourselves with the faces behind the statistics. This powerful approach creates a new space for men’s lived experiences, which advocates have contended to be a critical gap in rallying broader, more unified support.

Indeed, all too often, abortion is deemed a ‘women’s issue,’ and like many issues deemed ‘hers,’ the price of such is usually apathy. The role of the expectant father has been largely silent in the portrayal of this struggle, cast as a peripheral figure in an attack on women’s rights.

Yet as Ryan Hamilton, whose ‘Abortion in America launch event’ video reached 1 million views on TikTok amplifies- this is not just HER story but HIS and THEIRS. Ryan, whose story of almost losing his wife having been denied care by two hospitals in Texas, was joined by 3 more survivors/ now advocates who want to share their stories as a battle cry in a movement that is about so much more than mothers’ rights. It’s about what they see as protecting the most sacred American values of all: family and community.

Victims turned advocates:

Deborah Dorbert, a Florida resident, was forced to carry her pregnancy to term despite knowing her baby would not survive. “I remember my OB handing me a baby boy that was blue and cold, gasping for air,” Dorbert recounted. “For 94 minutes, we just watched our son suffocate.”

Nancy Davis, a Louisiana resident, shared her experience of being forced to travel over 1,400 miles to terminate her pregnancy after discovering that her baby had acrania – a condition preventing development of the skull. Louisiana healthcare providers hesitated to perform the procedure due to the state’s strict laws, despite the risk to Davis’s health. Her story underscores the dangerous consequences of leaving medical decisions to politicians, rather than healthcare professionals.

Kaitlyn Joshua, another Louisiana resident, was denied treatment options and told, “It appears that you could be having [a miscarriage]. But we don’t want to say that’s what it is. So, let’s just keep watching it. You can continue to come back. Of course, we’re praying for you.” Despite doctors’ well founded fears of being prosecuted, fined, or losing their license, we don’t need a medical degree to know that prayers alone can’t save lives.

These four stories – and the many more shared on the platform – have a simple message; medical treatment can and does save lives. Treatments that could save the one in seven (14%) women of reproductive ages (ages 18 to 49) facing imminent threat to their lives in states where abortion bans apply.

Power of permanency in a world that loves to swipe

The modern challenge of deploying storytelling as a form of activism is retaining the audience’s attention for a sustained period of time. Stories have been reduced to a subconscious swipe in a world with news on demand at our fingertips. This constant flow of information means that stories often get buried as new headlines emerge, rendering their impact short-lived in turn. Abortion in America seeks to address this issue by creating an archive where personal stories are preserved for long-term impact. By prioritizing accessibility, there is a greater likelihood that the personal impact of abortion bans is not forgotten or ignored, as the media cycle shifts to other issues. Stories can be filtered by location, voice, and background, so none are lost and all have a permanent home. Regardless of when these stories are reported, they remain relevant as others may face similar fears, challenges and experiences in the future.

As the debate over abortion rights continues, particularly in anticipation of this looming election – and the proposal of state-level amendments such as Florida’s Amendment 4 – the stories shared by Abortion in America can play a critical role in shaping public opinion.

By focusing on the personal impact of these laws, Abortion in America hopes to redirect the conversation away from statistics and toward the human stories that truly illustrate what is at stake.