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The following is a speech awarding our Vision award to Karen Thurston March 2, 2020 at the Abortion Care Network Conference in Louisville KY.
The 2020 ACP Vision Award this year goes to a person whose singular commitment to eradicating stigma led her to an insight about a single missing letter—not even a word, but a letter. I am, of course, referring to Karen Thurston whose latest campaign is so simple, yet so far reaching in its impact: to add an “s” to the word abortion, so that those who have had more than one abortion would know that they are completely normal. For instance, instead of saying “women who have had an abortion,” say, “women who have abortions." We all know the power of language in our work and once again, we are invited to examine how we can lift up people instead of inadvertently stigmatizing them.
This is not Karen’s first contribution to abortion stigma busting. Since 2014, she has been sharing her own abortion and stigma stories in a range of public venues, including in an essay published in The Sea Change Program’s Untold Stories project. She also wrote and narrated the Sea Change video What Happened When I Talked About My Abortions, which won an ACN award in 2015. Karen has recorded her story on The Abortion Diary Podcast, and was featured in an MSNBC.com documentary about the podcast in 2015.
She took part in the on-line abortion speak out hosted by the Advocates for Youth 1 in 3 Campaign. She is a former Board member of the Abortion Conversation Projects, a clinic escort, and volunteered with the ARC-South East abortion fund. A former newspaper, freelance writer and school teacher, Karen holds a Master of Arts in Journalism.
Karen’s most recent silence breaking campaign is on the website 2 plus abortions.com and also contains an international storytelling project directory. She has engaged the abortion care community worldwide to eradicate stigma-inducing language by “adding an ‘s’ to the word abortion. The Abortion Conversation Project is proud to partner with her and have created “This is not my first abortion” posters and handouts, which are free to clinics.
As an individual woman telling her story, Karen has unleashed her power to create change. Adrienne Rich reminds us “Women have often felt insane when cleaving to the truth of our experience. Our future depends on the sanity of each of us, and we have a profound stake, beyond the personal, in the project of describing our reality as candidly and fully as we can to each other… When a woman tells the truth she is creating the possibility for more truth around her."
Karen accepted the award remotely, with these words: “Thank you from my deepest heart for this beautiful award. I wish I could give a piece of this beautiful award to each and every person who has helped me learn and grow on this journey, because so very many people with intense dedication have educated, inspired and influenced me.
All of you at ACP have been the innovators and world-changers. You all have remained steadfast in your belief in the power of one, the power of small groups, the power of everyday people to transform the way the whole world talks and feels about abortion.
The progress in reducing stigma that traces directly back to all of you is incalculable! That's been the real honor for me -- joining along with you and being part of the grassroots stigma-fighting movement that you all have fueled for so long with your own amazing dedication.
Thank you to everyone who provides and advocates for abortion care. The biggest honor and privilege is to wake up each day to fight along side you for a future with no stigma and no barriers.”