A close up shot of Josh, wearing a blue collared shirt and holding a mic

Must watch: Honest and beautiful abortion storytelling by Josh Healey

Last week, the excellent Snap Judgement released their latest episode, and it includes a brilliant personal story by Josh Healey about abortion and all the touching ways that the women in his life have taught him about the crucial importance of safe, legal access.

“To be honest, I was hella nervous about performing this story — not for my sake, but my wife’s,” Josh said. “When I first told Esther the story and asked what she thought, she said, ‘If you don’t do it…I’ll divorce you.’ And that’s why she’s the champ.”

This kind of honest and beautiful storytelling about what’s actually a super common experience–but that we don’t talk about because of stigma–is exactly the kind of culture change work that humanizes and puts a context behind people’s choices about their families and lives.

Full disclosure – Josh is an ooold homie of mine, from back when we lived together at an anti-capitalist cooperative house many years ago. He was a brilliant, hilarious, revolutionary poet back then, and he’s still got it. I loved seeing him do this live in Brooklyn, and I’m so happy it’s out in the world now.

“For millions of women and millions of men,” Josh said, “abortion is actually a positive thing. Silence and shame are never the answer. Telling the truth is.”

You gotta check it out.

New York, NY

Verónica Bayetti Flores has spent the last years of her life living and breathing reproductive justice. She has led national policy and movement building work on the intersections of immigrants' rights, health care access, young parenthood, and LGBTQ liberation, and has worked to increase access to contraception and abortion, fought for paid sick leave, and demanded access to safe public space for queer youth of color. In 2008 Verónica obtained her Master’s degree in the Sexuality and Health program at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health. She loves cooking, making art, listening to music, and thinking about the ways art forms traditionally seen as feminine are valued and devalued. In addition to writing for Feministing, she is currently spending most of her time doing policy work to reduce the harms of LGBTQ youth of color's interactions with the police and making sure abortion care is accessible to all regardless of their income.

Verónica is a queer immigrant writer, activist, and rabble-rouser.

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