You're the Only One I've Told: The Stories Behind Abortion

by Meera Shah

I’ve always believed that the simple act of sharing stories is one of the most effective ways to influence, teach, and inspire change. Storytelling creates emotional connections between people. By sharing the nuances of culture, history, and values, people and ideas are united through their stories. Even if an individual can’t identify with another’s exact experience, there is usually some component of the story, even as small as the fleeting, universal emotions of fear or happiness, that can be shared and appreciated.

I know that the briefest moment of vulnerability can be the beginning of a meaningful connection, even with a complete stranger.

Why does it feel like women and pregnant people are on one side and men are on the other? “When you’re not used to that kind of powerlessness, it can make you feel crazy. It feels like it’s all about conquest and war and acquisition and property and that’s why I think men freak out when all of a sudden they’re being relegated to a spectator on this issue. I think it goes deeper in the way that men and women are taught to interact.”