Abortion isn't just about tragedies. It's simply one part of reproductive health procedures.
Whenever abortion laws get stricter, we see a lot of testimonies from people and hypotheticals about the most tragic, heartbreaking examples of why people needs abortions. I wanted to be pregnant, but the fetus didn't have a brain. I was 12 and my dad raped me. My best friend died on a dirty table in the south in the 60s when she was 18.
These stories are important. Hearing stories only of pain and tragedy, however, paints a picture of abortion as a last resort, something we need only in dire circumstances, something to be avoided at all costs and accessed only if your story is harrowing enough that you're allowed through the door.
Abortions are safer than childbirth and are a simple, routine procedure, especially in the first trimester, when the vast majority of abortions are performed. For many people, they are unpleasant but not heartbreaking. People know what they need, and I shouldn't require someone to show me their deepest pain or secret to get routine healthcare.
Don't get me wrong, stories are important to build community and foster understanding. Relying on the most painful stories to build policy, however, will result in policy that addresses only those incidents -- or requires them to access services.
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