I was 16 when I found out I was pregnant. At the time I was working 40 hours a week while attending high school. I was smart, a part of the national honor society, captain of the color guard, tutored other kids. Still, I became pregnant, but as soon as the stick turned blue I knew I wanted an abortion.
My mom and I both cried because we both knew I did not want to be pregnant. I did not want to be a parent. I wanted to finished high school and attend college. I live in Texas where it was and still is extremely hard to get an abortion. My mom and I made an appointment with a clinic.
Or so we thought. It was a fake clinic, and we had driven 3+hours to be turned away. Being pregnant and not having options was the scariest experience of my life. My mom fought hard to get a real doctor appointment the same day. We eventually found a doctor who was willing to perform my abortion at a steep price.
They informed that they had to preform an ultrasound and I had to wait so many days before I could receive my abortion. The price of my abortion was the same price of my rent. My mom and I were already barely making it and it was tough. I missed school to pick up shifts, trying to avoid asking anyone else for help.
I was angry, but I eventually asked the person who got me pregnant to help. I was one of the lucky ones, he was able to help me pay for the abortion. I eventually made it back to the clinic to receive my abortion, but I had to face the many people outside the clinic shaming me. It is quite the experience to be called a murderer with a bullhorn to your face.
None them would ever change my mind or how I felt about finally receiving this care. “My abortion literally saved my life”. After waking up from my abortion, I had felt the most peace I felt in what felt like forever. I was finally in control of my own self again. I went back to being the person I wanted to be.
My mom and I celebrated my abortion. We went out and got my school clothes for my senior year of high school the same day and had pizza and wing and discussed the future I was going to have. I am now living that future that I talked about 4 years ago. My experience with abortion was amazing besides the parts leading up to the actual procedure, that being the restrictions.
I will be graduating with highest honors from university with a double major in philosophy and political science and a minor in Spanish on time because I was able to control my bodily autonomy. I look forward to law school and achieving the rest of my goals that I am able to set because of my abortion.
Abortion is healthcare and it should never be restricted by income, race, or the state. I tell you about my abortion because the silence has only left room for these restrictions to happen. It should be obvious but healthcare saves lives, and that’s exactly what abortion is, healthcare. So I hope we can move forward and make this life saving procedure known as abortion accessible to everyone with no questions asked and no stigma attached
All the best and yours truly,
A feminist from tx
