Why I’m Fighting for the Future of Planned Parenthood in 2020
By Clara Williams
My name is Clara Williams and I’m a proud Planned Parenthood of New York City patient.
And, like 1 in 4 women, I have had an abortion.
I shared my story with presidential candidates at Planned Parenthood Action Fund’s 2020 Election Membership Forum in Columbia, South Carolina, last week because I believe in fighting for my community’s right to thrive, my right to choose and to create a better world for the generations to come. The right to abortion is a critical issue in this upcoming election — and one that is fundamentally about economic justice, gender equity, and the future those in our most marginalized communities.
As a fashion designer and entrepreneur, the care that Planned Parenthood provides — including safe and legal abortion — has been a lifeline for me.
In 2016, when I suspected I had become pregnant unplanned, I went to Planned Parenthood for a pregnancy test. They presented me with all of my options without shame or judgement. I truly felt I was being cared for as a whole person.
When I called to schedule my abortion, I was able to meet with a social worker as well to discuss my choice and options. I felt supported as a whole person. The decision was personal and difficult. I was afforded a safe space to process my emotions, discuss my reasons for wanting an abortion. I was able to find the space I needed to make the right decision for ME.
On the day of my abortion, the same social worker was there. She offered me a list of therapists and support groups to help me cope after the abortion. I was given a clear list of my choices for birth control. Three weeks later when I went back for a check up, I got a prescription for the birth control of my choice. She was critical in ensuring that I found a therapist covered by my insurance.
The decision to have an abortion was a difficult one for me, but ultimately the right one. There were many important factors — including the involvement of my partner, the life I could or could not give a child, my future, and finances.
I made this decision thoughtfully. I made this decision because it was the right one for me and my life. I know that this is a decision that no one can make for you — least of all, a politician.
We’ve seen a rash of extreme abortion bans sweeping the country, all with one goal in mind — to bring a direct challenge to Roe v. Wade to the Supreme Court, and make abortion inaccessible in this country.
This is Trump’s anti-abortion extremism and it’s terrifying, particularly for communities of color and low-income communities who are most affected by these bans. We know that banning abortion does not stop abortions from happening — it only deceases access. Wealthy white women will always be able to access abortion. People of color and poor people suffer the most when access to health care is attacked — and this is unacceptable. I will never forget that many women in that Planned Parenthood waiting room looked just like me.
People make the decision to end a pregnancy for many reasons — all of them valid. Most importantly, it’s none of our business.
Being a woman in this world is complicated enough — If I get pregnant, my partner can walk away but I cannot. That’s the power of the uterus. I’ve had two abortions and both allowed me to continue to choose myself and the future I wanted to create. It is a HUMAN RIGHT to have access to good health care and legal and safe abortions. If men could have babies this wouldn’t even be a discussion.
My access to a safe legal abortion was critical to me creating further economic opportunities for myself in the way I choose. I choose myself, and that right to choose must be protected.
No one should ever be able to limit your choices, and dictate the kind of life you are to live. And you shouldn’t let anyone make those choices for you or your community. You know what’s best for you. You are the authority on you. Don’t let those in power make those decisions for you, it’s always someone else’s fight until the day you find yourself in need of those very services. So let’s make this OUR fight.
It will take all of us, men, women, black, white, ALL of US fighting together, to build a world where our reproductive autonomy is respected, valued, and understood as a fundamental human right. Your vote is your voice, and the 2020 election is our chance to be heard — for the issues that matter most.
