1977 Story

“I KNEW what the right choice for me was.”

It was 1977 and I was living in Oakland, California, just one block outside of Berkeley. My boyfriend and two other friends were renting an older house, built by an Italian immigrant family in the 1950’s. I was twenty-seven and enrolled in the massage training program in Berkeley. At that time, I was living on my meager savings.

After two weeks of intermittent morning nausea, I decided to take [a] pregnancy [test] at the local public health clinic in Oakland. I cannot remember if I even knew about home pregnancy testing then. The test was free and at the appointment the staff (women) offered me all my viable options.
Now what???

I vividly remember that without hesitation, I chose to have an abortion. At the desk as I made the appointment for the termination, I was told that my procedure would be free. I was surprised to say the least!

At that moment in time, there was funding for choosing to have an abortion in California. It might seem abrupt to be there alone and make these kinds of decisions, but I knew without a doubt that this was the right choice for me. Deep inside of me I knew that I was not ready to take on the responsibility of raising a child and being a mother.

When I returned home, I told my boyfriend about all that had happened and my decisions, and he was supportive. We both knew it was not the right time!
So, the appointment for the abortion was made for 3 days later, at the same clinic. It may seem like a series of abrupt decisions, but I KNEW what the right choice for me was. At least I had a CHOICE!

The procedure went well, and I spent the following days in deep recovery emotionally more than physically. I had been raised in a Catholic family and my decision went against everything I had be conditioned to believe.

Yet, I knew.

I knew I had the strength to make a decision and survive it.

I kept this a secret from my sisters and my parents for many years. Eventually, I was able to share with my sisters, but never with my parents. It was a shocking disclosure for them, but I was tired of feeling ashamed that I had made a choice that was ultimately mine to make. I had a CHOICE. Yes, that choice changed my life and instilled in me the power to support all women’s choices about our fundamental reproductive rights.

I am seventy-three now and it is 2025. The rights of women are in a completely different landscape. It is more important than ever to stand up in support of our freedom as women.

Regrets? NO.

I am always grateful that I was able to choose my own path in childbearing.
I am thankful for all the women who tread this path before me, and I am still committed to our right to CHOOSE our own reproductive paths.