Did you watch Lindy West’s abortion story on Shrill?

The abortion depicted on Shrill was one example of one person’s abortion experience. All abortions aren’t easy (though some are). All abortions aren’t challenging (though some are). But regardless of how someone feels about the choice they’re making, far too many people’s experiences are defined by difficulty accessing safe abortion care, or feeling destroyed by abortion stigma and shame that runs rampant in our culture. Far too many people have abortions while feeling totally alone. The reality is that abortion is a normal part of many people’s lives – everyone’s experience is just different. But now, there’s a growing community of us who are ready to talk about our lives, so that nobody ever has to feel alone again.

Shout Your Abortion was cofounded by Lindy West and Amelia Bonow. It’s a decentralized movement of people talking about our own abortions on our own terms in art, media, and real life events all over the country and helping others to do the same. There are lots of ways to get involved: you can post your story on our website or just spend some time reading other peoples’ stories, you can buy a copy of our beautiful new book which features stories and art from people all over the country, you can host a book club or a Shrill watching party with your friends to get a conversation started, or you can join our mailing list to start hearing more about who we are and how to get involved. We are out here. We are having abortions, and we are talking about them, at whatever volume we choose.

It’s time for us to take back our own stories. To take back our own lives and to see our own stories reflected back to us. The anti-choice movement has hijacked the conversation with lies, and these lies are hurting all of us. It’s time to start telling the truth.

Shout Your Abortion is changing the way we talk about abortion, one conversation at a time. Join us.