2021-10-04 10:50:01

“We Demand Better”: Reps. Cori Bush, Pramila Jayapal & Barbara Lee Share Their Own Abortion Stories

Thousands marched Saturday in more than 600 demonstrations across the United States to protest increasing state restrictions on abortion. The “Bans Off Our Bodies” rallies were sparked in part by a near-total ban on abortion that went into effect in Texas on September 1, which bans the procedure after about six weeks and lets anyone sue the doctor and others who help a person obtain an abortion.

Ahead of Saturday’s nationwide actions, several Democratic House members shared their own experiences getting abortions during a hearing Thursday, including California Congressmember Barbara Lee, who said she was just 16 when she had to travel to Mexico for a so-called back-alley abortion in the days before Roe v. Wade, and Congressmember Cori Bush, who described getting an abortion after she was raped at 17.

“To all the Black women and girls who have had abortions and will have abortions: We have nothing to be ashamed of,” Bush said. “We deserve better. We demand better. We are worthy of better.”

Democracy Now! produces a daily, global, independent news hour hosted by award-winning journalists Amy Goodman and Juan González. Our reporting includes breaking daily news headlines and in-depth interviews with people on the front lines of the world’s most pressing issues. 

On DN!, you’ll hear a diversity of voices speaking for themselves, providing a unique and sometimes provocative perspective on global events.

Missed an episode?  Check out DN on FSTV VOD anytime or visit the show page for the latest clips.

#FreeSpeechTV is one of the last standing national, independent news networks committed to advancing progressive social change. 

#FSTV is available on Dish, DirectTV, AppleTV, Roku, Sling, and online at freespeech.org.

Abortion Abortion Rights Amy Goodman Bans off our bodies Barbara Lee Cori Bush Democracy Now! Demonstrations Free Speech TV Greg Abbott Gregg Abott Pramila Jayapal Protests Texas United States Women's Rights

Politics

The Rick Smith Show

The Rick Smith Show | Project 2025 in Action

The Rick Smith Show | Project 2025 in Action

The Thom Hartmann Program

The Thom Hartmann Program | Fear is the Tool of Fascism

The Thom Hartmann Program | Fear is the Tool of Fascism

The Stephanie Miller Show

The Stephanie Miller Show | Trump’s Cabinet Picks & Oklahoma’s Prayer in Schools Controversy

The Stephanie Miller Show | Trump’s Cabinet Picks & Oklahoma’s Prayer in Schools Controversy

The Rick Smith Show

The Rick Smith Show | Project 2025 in Action

The Rick Smith Show | Project 2025 in Action

Related

The Thom Hartmann Program

The Thom Hartmann Program | Does the Left Needs its own Media Ecosystem?

The Thom Hartmann Program | Does the Left Needs its own Media Ecosystem?

Working Families Party Mass Call

Working Families Party Mass Call

The Thom Hartmann Program

The Thom Hartmann Program | American Society Used to Benefit from the Wealthy

The Thom Hartmann Program | American Society Used to Benefit from the Wealthy

The Rick Smith Show

The Rick Smith Show | The Fallout of the Washington Post's (lack of) Endorsement

The Rick Smith Show | The Fallout of the Washington Post's (lack of) Endorsement

Proud Partners