You're the Only One I've Told

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

At a time when 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 began 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 humanise abortion and to combat myths that persist in the discourse surrounding it. A wide range of ages, races, socioeconomic factors, and experiences show that abortion always occurs in a unique context.

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

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