anyone who knows me will not be too surprised to learn that i had an abortion -- i worked at the national abortion rights action league for nine years and almost all of that time was as the executive director. i self-induced an abortion when i was in college.

constrained by a legal system and a bad lawyer, i got pregnant in 2002 accidentally with my current husband, prior to being officially divorced from my last one. in texas, that meant that my ex could fight for custody of my yet to be born 5 week old fetus.

when i was 18, i was a freshman in college. i had been dating someone casually for over a year, who, was not interested in an exclusive, committed relationship with me.

on january 27, i spoke at an event commemorating the 41st anniversary of roe v. wade. i spoke about the tragedy of losing our son, who was due to be born today, march 15, and why sharing stories is critical in our fight for reproductive rights.

as one who was always pro-choice, i always viewed abortion as a necessary evil. it was not something i would want to do, but would have to do if faced with a pregnancy i didn't want (at least that's how my line of thinking went when i was younger and not ready to be a mother).

i thought the guy was nice at first, but to cut to the chase, after moving in for a few months with him he had become so increasingly jealous and possessive that i was at the point where i was pretty much a prisoner in my own home in a domestic violence situation.