Abortion is a heavily stigmatized subject. For decades, right-wing forces and the church have been on a misinformation campaign on abortion. Part of the fight for abortion access and reproductive justice includes destigmatizing abortion and taking back our narrative.
Say The Word Abortion
It’s past time to name and demand what we need. We only destigmatize abortion by using the word abortion.
Abortion Is Not Always A Difficult Decision
Sometimes choosing abortion is a difficult decision, and sometimes it’s not – there are many nuances around having an abortion. All abortions and decisions to have an abortion are unique, individual, and deserve respect.
Tell Your Story
Telling your story (if it’s safe for you to do so) helps give a face to the statistics. This is a crucial aspect of destigmatizing abortion by showing that it is far more common than people seem to think. Nearly 1 in 4 people will have an abortion by the age of 45.
Abortion Is Vital To Healthcare
“I would never have an abortion” is a very common thought that many people have — until they need to get an abortion. The fact of the matter is, abortion is a life saving healthcare procedure that millions of people obtain a year. For many people, one of the hardest parts is the stigma surrounding abortion.
Use Inclusive Language
(Cis) women are not the only people who obtain abortions. When the conversation around abortion and/or reproductive healthcare only includes cis women, it excludes trans men, intersex people, nonbinary people, and other gender-nonconforming folks from the conversation. Leaving them out of the conversation dismisses their reality and removes any concept of solidarity that needs to be built and maintained for a liberating mass-movement. When applicable, it’s best to use the gender neutral language i.e. “pregnant people”, “people with uteruses”, & other similar phrases to be inclusive to our transgender, nonbinary, intersex, and other gender nonconforming comrades.
Stop Using Coat Hanger Imagery
Coat hanger images and “back-alley” references are problematic; they lead people to think that all self-managed abortions are dangerous, when in fact self-managed abortions are the safest they’ve ever been thanks to the availability of abortion pills (which the FDA recently approved to be delivered by mail.) The stigmatization and coat hanger/back-alley narrative of the past fuel justification for outlawing self-managed abortions.
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Craftivist The Activist 
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