You're the Only One I've Told: The Stories Behind Abortion

"Moving, multifaceted, and deeply human...as eye-opening as it is compelling" --Cecile Richards, author of Make Trouble

At a time where reproductive rights are at risk, these vital stories of diverse individuals serve as a reminder of the importance of empathy, finding community and motivating advocacy

For a long time, when people asked Dr. Meera Shah, Chief medical officer of Planned Parenthood Hudson Peconic, what she did, she would tell them she was a doctor and leave it at that. But when she started to be direct about her work as an abortion provider an interesting thing started to happen: one by one, people would confide that they'd had an abortion themselves. The refrain was often the same: You're the only one I've told.

This book collects these stories as they've been told to Shah to humanize abortion and to combat myths that persist in the discourse that surrounds it. A wide range of ages, races, socioeconomic factors, and experiences shows that abortion always occurs in a unique context.

Today, a healthcare issue that's so precious and foundational to reproductive, social, and economic freedom for millions of people is exploited by politicians who lack understanding or compassion about the context in which abortion occurs. Stories have the power to break down stigmas and help us to empathize with those whose experiences are unlike our own.

A portion of proceeds will be donated to promote reproductive health access.

Author: Meera Shah
Publisher: Chicago Review Press
Published: 09/01/2020
Pages: 304
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 1.55lbs
Size: 8.90h x 6.20w x 1.20d
ISBN: 9781641603638


Review Citation(s):
Kirkus Reviews 07/01/2020
Publishers Weekly 07/27/2020
Booklist 08/01/2020 pg. 10

About the Author
Dr. Meera Shah is a family medicine physician currently serving as the chief medical officer of Planned Parenthood Hudson Peconic in New York. Shah is a strong advocate for increasing sexual and reproductive health access in underserved areas and to underserved communities. A Fellow with the Physicians for Reproductive Health, Shah is dedicated to calling out the injustices that keep people from exercising their autonomy. In 2018, she was awarded Woman of Distinction by New York State Senator Brad Hoylman.