Bonus Episode: Lucky’s Abortion Story

Episode Summary

The bonus episode presented by Planned Parenthood features the abortion story of a transgender man named Lucky. Lucky explains how he wound up in a difficult relationship and became pregnant within just three months. He says his abortion was one of the greatest acts of compassion he had ever committed, as it was an easy decision for him. Lucky's friends who knew he was transgender supported his decision to have an abortion and get on with his life. He wishes more people understood that abortion is healthcare, plain and simple. Lucky believes abortion needs to be talked about openly, just like any other medical procedure people undergo. By sharing his own abortion story, Lucky aims to convey that abortion rights are not just a women's issue but a human rights issue. He wants people to understand that transgender and non-binary individuals need access to abortion too. The more inclusive the abortion discussion is, the better chance there is to end the stigma around it. Lucky obtained his abortion as well as gender-affirming care from Planned Parenthood. The episode emphasizes that abortion rights and rights related to gender-affirming care for transgender people are linked, as both relate to bodily autonomy and healthcare decisions. The states restricting abortion access are also trying to limit gender-affirming care for trans people. To fully protect abortion rights, the conversation must include all people affected, including women, transgender and non-binary individuals.

Episode Show Notes

Planned Parenthood is our partner for having important conversations about abortion stigma. In today’s bonus episode, we hear from Lucky who talks about being trans and needing an abortion.

Episode Transcript

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We're excited for today's bonus episode presented by this month's sponsor, Planned Parenthood. June is Pride Month, and we're proud that our sponsor, Planned Parenthood, is on a mission to make sure we include all genders when we talk about abortion. Pride Month is a month for joy and celebration of love in all its forms. And while there's so much to celebrate, we must also acknowledge the countless attacks on LGBTQ plus people that are happening across the country each and every day. The right to get an abortion and the right to get gender affirming healthcare are linked. Both are about having control over your body and having the freedom to make decisions that affect your life and your wellbeing. Many of the states that are banning abortion at unprecedented rates are also working to ban gender affirming care for trans people. To end abortion stigma, more people need to be willing to talk about abortion, and we have to include everyone in the conversation, because abortion rights are important for women and trans and non-binary people. So here are a few quick things you can do to be more inclusive when discussing abortion. First, instead of saying women's rights, say reproductive rights. Second, we can be more inclusive by naming the people harmed. For example, abortion bans harm women, transgender and non-binary people across the country. Making abortion personal by attaching real humans to the word is super important in helping to break the stigma. The more inclusive we are in the discussion of abortion, the better off we are in ending abortion stigma. It takes all of us to end abortion stigma. It takes open minds, open hearts, and the willingness to have tough and important conversations. And with that, here's a story from Lucky, who talks about being trans and needing an abortion. Visit plannedparenthood.org slash end stigma to hear more stories and learn how you can help end abortion stigma. SPEAKER_01: Hi, my name is Lucky. I've had an abortion, and I get gender affirming care from Planned Parenthood. I wound up in a very, very difficult relationship, and within three months, that I was pregnant, I was like, oh no. My abortion was one of the greatest acts of compassion I had ever committed. It was an easy decision. And it was a decision that, for the friends I had told I was trans, they were like, get it. You know, that's fine, like great, you know. That's your decision. You want to finally begin your life. And it was just one of the best decisions I had ever made, ever, in my life. I wish that more people understood that abortion is healthcare, plain and simple. It's important to talk about abortion in a healthcare setting, because I think that when we don't, we see abortion as this very, very uncommon, isolated thing, and it's not. It needs to be shared, and it needs to be out there, just like any other thing that people go through. I tell my abortion story, because people need to understand that it's not just a women's rights issue. It is a people's rights issue. SPEAKER_06: Evidence-wise, we had virtually no evidence. SPEAKER_05: In 1995, Detective Tony Richardson was trying to figure out who killed a fellow officer. The case comes down to who is believed and who is ignored. Oh my goodness, we did convict an innocent man. I'm Beth Shelburne from Lava for Good podcasts. This is Ear Witness. Listen to Ear Witness on the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. 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