Rep. Marie Newman didn’t expect to share her abortion story with the world. In fact, the Illinois congresswoman—who had an abortion as a 19-year-old college student and went on to defeat one of the last anti-abortion House Democrats in 2020—kept it a secret for decades as she wrestled with feelings of guilt and shame. But when she saw the news that the Supreme Court was set to overturn Roe v. Wade, according to a leaked draft opinion, she decided it was time. “What kept ringing in my head around the leaked decision was, oh my God, I was so lucky,” she told ELLE.com. As a teenager, Newman had local, quality reproductive health care, an impossibility for millions of people across America. If Roe falls, about half the states are likely to ban abortion, further restricting access. “My particular story isn’t important,” she said. “But it is important for people to understand the gravity of this situation.” Below, in her own words, she explains what's at stake.
