Jan. 22 was the 41st anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court case that solidified women's right to choose abortion. On that day, I spent two hours in the bitter cold counter-protesting the March for Life on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. The March for Life, the largest anti-choice demonstration in the world, takes place every year on the anniversary of Roe to challenge the Supreme Court ruling's pro-choice premise. I, along with a friend and a group of about 20 other protesters, donned our "Keep Abortion Legal" signs and "I Trust Women" pins and assembled in front of the Supreme Court to show the anti-choice marchers that a strong pro-choice voice exists in our nation.

At the march, I had some intense revelations that I want to share with you all. After the march, I used Facebook to post photos from my experience, and some friends and acquaintances subsequently asked me to explain or justify my pro-choice stance. I realized that although I do a lot of work in reproductive justice, I've never taken the time to pause and explain why I fight for what I fight for.

So here it goes.

I am staunchly, proudly and unapologetically pro-choice. Abortion is a medical procedure, one of the safest in the world when performed by a trained medical professional, that allows women the right to decide when and if to have children. It gives women the chance to plan their families, and, as such, to secure educational opportunities, economic stability and autonomy.

That being said, I recognize that not everyone agrees with me. According to the New York Times, abortion is one of the most divisive issues of the 2014 election cycle. The contention, hatred and venom that exist on both sides of the aisle of the abortion debate are baffling to me. At the protest, my friend and I linked arms and an anti-choice man attempted to physically plow through and disrupt our peaceful demonstration. A woman carrying an anti-choice sign began screaming in the face of the counter-protesters from the National Organization for Women. We were scoffed at, yelled at and physically intimidated-not to mention outnumbered, obviously-by our anti-choice counterparts. 

These interactions are not productive. They do not create useful dialogue or a sense of understanding among the different factions. They foster hatred, violence and demonization of the "other side"-an "other side" that is composed of people, people like you and me, who are just as convinced that what they are fighting for is as righteous as what we are fighting for.

At the end of the day, we are each fighting for what we believe is moral and just. This is a democracy, where we are free to voice our opinions openly, proudly and encounter the support and opposition that subsequently follow.

I do not "hate" people who are anti-choice. I respect the staunchness with which they support their beliefs, and I respect their right to do so.
But I demand that they respect my right to do so as well. I will continue to fight this fight-peacefully, respectfully, and fiercely-until a woman's right and ability to choose are secure nationwide.

I'd like now to speak directly to those of you who may be fiercely pro-choice, moderately pro-choice or undecided: 

According to NARAL Pro-Choice America's Choice Out Loud Campus Toolkit, 61 percent of millennials, our generation, are pro-choice. But only 21 percent think the issue is important. Meanwhile, 44 percent of anti-choice millennials believe the issue is important.

That means that the modern pro-choice voice is being outspoken by the voice of the anti-choice movement. We, the pro-choice folks, are the majority, but not enough of us are willing to take a stand, vocally express our support and take action to secure women's right to choose. 

At the March for Life demonstration, the marchers kept chanting; "We. Are. The Pro-Life Generation!" If we as pro-choice millennials do not raise our voices, mobilize and stand in support of a woman's right to choose, our generation will become the pro-life generation. In 2013, three states attempted to ban abortion at varying points throughout the pregnancy; five states attempted to ban insurance coverage of abortion; and eight states attempted to close abortion providers through anti-choice restrictions.
We can protect Roe, and secure women's right to reproductive health. But we have to make a dedicated effort, and we have to spread our passion and dedication to our friends, our families and everyone who is willing to listen.

Some people won't fight because they don't believe abortion affects them. To those people, I offer this: Stop and think, just for a minute. Think of every female-bodied person you know. Every individual that may, at some point, experience an unplanned pregnancy-whether it's you, your mother, your friends, or your role models. According to the non profit organization Advocates for Youth, about one in three women will get an abortion by the time she turns 45. 

Odds are, you know more than one person who has had an abortion. Odds are, one third of the women at the March for Life had received abortions. We cannot forget the regularity with which abortion occurs, nor can we forget that women will continue to get abortions even if the procedure is legally outlawed. We cannot forget the alarming number of women who have died, or become seriously ill, from botched abortions performed in back alleys because the procedure was not legal.

And, most importantly, we cannot forget the power of a story. These issues seem vague and distant until we realize that we know someone who has experienced them firsthand. The best way-the very best way-we can shift public opinion to become more pro-choice is to share our stories. To say, "I had an abortion." 

Whether you had one and regretted it, or had one and never looked back, or had two, or more: at the end of the day, you had the ability to choose your future.

Expressing that you have had an abortion-a procedure so stigmatized in our society-is not easy. But the rewards of doing so will be enormous. Be brave, take a stand and share your story. You will be shocked by how many people have been waiting for the right moment to share theirs. You will be shocked by the support and understanding you receive as a result. 

I am pro-choice. I am proud. And I am dedicated to making sure that 2014 is a year in which the pro-choice voice becomes louder and stronger than ever before.
*