Sorry Not Sorry: Dreams, Mistakes, and Growing Up

by Naya Rivera

Even when I look back at that girl I was decades ago, I still feel like I just saw her yesterday, like she hasn’t been gone for all that long.

Your life doesn’t have to be perfect for you to be proud. In fact, I think it’s the opposite: the more imperfect your life has been, the prouder you should be, because it means you’ve come that much further, and also probably had a lot more fun along the way.

Oh, to be young and completely deranged.

As you can probably imagine, whether to have an abortion is about the most personal, complicated decision a woman can ever have to make, and I was terrified that someone would see me, recognize me, or leak my story to the press.

It’s just such a personal decision, based on so many factors, including where you are in your life at the time and how you feel about everything from parenting to finances and family. The sad thing is that many women who find themselves suddenly facing an unplanned pregnancy will be judged no matter what it is they decide to do. Young, single mom? Judged. Abortion? Judged. There’s no way to win, to make a decision that feels wholly right.

I think every woman should have the right to choose, and it scares me to think of a world where the decision of whether to have a child is not her choice to make.

it doesn’t bring you up to bring someone else down;

if you are committed to being your honest and authentic self, then you are going to piss a few people off here and there.