Every day I’m grateful to live in a country where Roe v Wade IS still the law of the land and I had the ability to choose the right decision for me. In honor of that, I wanted to repost the comments I made at a press conference last year. It was the first time I spoke about my abortion publicly.
Hello my name is Josselyn Berry and I had an abortion.
I was 23, in a relationship, and my contraception failed. It was never a hard decision for me and I’d do it again. There was no pain, or tears, or feeling conflicted. I was pregnant and did not want to be. Simple as that and it was a valid reason. It’s valid because in America the most basic right a person should have is what to do with their own body.
My story is not special or unique. I stand with other women and people like me who had an abortion. Not out of rape, or incest, or because our lives were at risk, but because we simply did not want to be pregnant. Our stories matter just as much.
I don’t think about my abortion. I only think about it in times like these- when I hear politicians say I deserve pain and punishment and jail time. When a politician thinks I should be put to death for having an abortion. So much for being pro-life.
I’ll admit I was nervous about speaking. Then I took a moment and sat with that feeling. I realized it came from outside of myself. It comes from other people and politicians who hope that I will always feel ashamed about my abortion. That I’ll never talk about it and it will remain a secret. That’s how they win.
They know if they can make us hide, they can keep passing these restrictions on our bodies. Because they know a majority of people have had an abortion. And a majority of people know and love someone who’s had an abortion. And they know if we all spoke out and told our truth they will fail.
So I’m here to tell you and everyone that I had an abortion and I’m not ashamed. Abortion is normal. Abortion is freedom. Abortion is healthcare. Having autonomy over my own body is joyful and it is my right and it is the right of every single person in this world.
I hope by sharing my story today I can encourage others to share their own abortion stories. We will not go back. We will only go forward.
My story is just a small ripple in this moment. But you know what? Small ripples became larger ripples that become waves that become tides.
I know today it feels that we have lost, but tomorrow we are the tide that changes the future. Thank you.
