Nashville women share their abortion stories at a rally against impending Tennessee ban

The looming end to legal abortions in Tennessee drew a crowd who repeatedly cursed the U.S. Supreme Court. Hundreds rallied outside the federal courthouse in Nashville Tuesday night, less than 24 hours after Politico reported the leaked draft opinion overturning Roe v. Wade.

The imminent threat to abortion access has inspired more openness. Tia Freeman of Nashville took the microphone, saying she hadn’t prepared anything but was happy to share her experience.

“My abortion story is that I have had two,” she said. “And I believe that, through my abortion story, I can help someone with their abortion story.”

Blake Farmer WPLN News

Tia Freeman chants along with a speaker at a rally held to protest a looming Supreme Court decision that is likely to result in outlawing abortions in Tennessee. She ended up telling her own abortion story from the steps of the courthouse.

Freeman, who volunteers with Planned Parenthood of Tennessee and North Mississippi, said she’s also feeling like it’s no longer enough to describe herself as “pro-choice.”

“We have to say we’re pro-abortion,” she said.

While empowering each other through sharing their personal experiences on a loudspeaker, abortion advocates in Tennessee are also preparing for abortion access to vanish within the next few months due to a state law that triggers an abortion ban if Roe is overturned.

Julie Edwards leads community engagement with Planned Parenthood and described her own abortion at 17. A friend’s older sister helped obtain abortion pills for Edwards, who said the same kind of underground assistance may soon be needed to help more Tennesseans with unwanted pregnancies.

“It’s going to take all of us to keep each other’s secrets,” Edwards said, “to hold each other’s hands, to keep each other safe.”

Blake Farmer WPLN News

Julie Edwards shares her own abortion story from when she was a teenager as she encourages others to speak up. Edwards is a staffer with Planned Parenthood of Tennessee and North Mississippi.

This Is Nashville plans to follow up on this issue in the coming weeks. And we want to hear from you about your questions on abortion access in Tennessee. Leave us a voice message at ThisIsNashville.org.