After Alabama’s governor signed a bill to ban abortions earlier this week, which would leave no exceptions for rape or incest and make performing an abortion punishable by law, thousands of women all over the world have spoken out to share their own stories and be heard.
Actress and talk show host Busy Philipps was one of the many women to share her abortion story online and call for others to do the same. On Wednesday, she took to Twitter to create a hashtag for those sharing their stories, reported Wired .
“1 in 4 women have had an abortion. Many people think they don’t know someone who has, but #youknowme. So let’s do this: if you are also the 1 in 4, let’s share it and start to end the shame. Use #youknowme and share your truth.”
The response to Philipps’ hashtag has been intense, with many famous celebrities joining the women sharing their stories with the world. Others have shared their support for the women of Alabama and of Georgia, where a recent law was signed to ban abortion after six weeks.
Actress Jameela Jamil is one famous face who bravely tweeted the hashtag #youknowme in response to Philipps’ message.
Women are using #youknowme to share their abortion experiences following the proposed ban in Alabama. https://t.co/xPkv9VoM61
— Twitter Moments (@TwitterMoments) May 15, 2019
Actress Milla Jovovich was another who shared her own story on Instagram, writing that she went through an emergency abortion when she was four and a half months pregnant, adding that it was one of the most horrific experiences she’s ever had to go through.
The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants actress Amber Tamblyn joined the conversation and expressed her feelings about her own abortion on Twitter.
“In 2012, I had an abortion. It was one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever had to make. I still think about it to this day. But these truths do not make me regret my decision. It was the right choice for me, at that time in my life. I have not a single doubt about this. #YouKnowMe”
Sex and the City actress Cynthia Nixon followed suit and posted about her wife and her mother’s experiences with abortion, writing that her mother was forced to have an illegal abortion 60 years ago while her wife had a legal abortion in 2010 after discovering her pregnancy was not viable.
Actress Minka Kelly wrote a lengthy post on Instagram to share her story, explaining that her abortion was one of the smartest decisions she had ever made because it prevented the unborn fetus from being forced into the cycle of poverty, chaos, and dysfunction that she had been born into.
The abortion ban signed into law in Alabama will likely end up in front of the Supreme Court where anti-abortion supporters hope to be able to overturn the 1973 Roe v. Wade case that made abortion legal in the United States.
