When I first thought of making this video, I had a moment of sheer fear and horror inside…
“Auggghhh!! Layla! Noooooo!”
And that very thought is what makes talking about my abortion so important, in my opinion.
Both because it’s an essential part of sexuality – and it’s one that we don’t talk about enough in my opinion…
And because too many women feel shame around having had one.
Taking control of your destiny and your life and your future is not something to be ashamed of…it’s actually something to be celebrated.
I remember in my women’s international health class at Stanford we had an abortion rights activist come in and speak to us.
She said that although we’d won the battle to have physical access to abortion…
We were losing the cultural war.
Because we’d been convinced that abortion was something to feel ashamed and guilty and sad about.
Now, I’m here to say you can feel however you want – it can be totally normal to feel sad.
But you don’t HAVE to.
And you definitely don’t have to feel ashamed.
I’ve also had so many men and women share with me that their sex lives change after an abortion.
I’ve worked with young women who lose their sexuality and passion after an abortion.
And couples who are never quite the same.
These conversations are important and essential to have so the healing can happen.
And often I find we aren’t having them due to cultural shame.
Well, you know me.
Let’s melt that shame down and claim our power.
I had an abortion and #Iamnotashamed.