Celebrating the Pioneers, Advocates, and Innovators Who Have Transformed Reproductive Healthcare...
For too long, Black women’s reproductive health experiences have been erased, distorted, or weaponized—either by politicians pushing harmful policies, the medical system dismissing our pain, or the media perpetuating stereotypes. But our stories matter. They hold power, they demand justice, and they can change the way Black women are treated in reproductive healthcare.
Few people have championed the power of storytelling in reproductive justice as boldly as Renee Bracey Sherman, a fierce advocate and the founder of We Testify, an organization dedicated to amplifying the voices of people who have had abortions. Bracey Sherman argues that when Black women speak openly about our reproductive health experiences—whether it’s abortion, infertility, miscarriage, or maternal health struggles—we reclaim our agency and demand the care we deserve.
This piece explores why storytelling is essential for reproductive justice, how We Testify and other movements are shifting the narrative, and why breaking the silence is a radical and necessary act for Black women.
Why Black Women’s Reproductive Stories Are Silenced
Black women’s reproductive health choices have always been politicized and policed. From forced breeding during slavery to the mass sterilization of Black women in the 20th century, reproductive control has long been used as a tool of oppression. Even today, Black women’s bodies are scrutinized, judged, and too often excluded from mainstream reproductive rights conversations.
Here’s how our voices continue to be silenced:
📌 Abortion Stigma: Despite Black women having a higher rate of abortion access due to systemic inequities, abortion conversations often exclude us, making it seem like only white women seek abortion care.
📌 Infertility Erasure: Black women experience infertility at higher rates than white women, yet the fertility industry rarely centers our stories.
📌 Maternal Health Disparities: Black women are three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related complications than white women, yet our experiences with medical neglect are dismissed or downplayed.
Bracey Sherman believes that sharing our stories forces people to see us, listen to us, and ultimately change the systems that harm us.
Storytelling as Reproductive Justice
Reproductive justice—a term coined by Black women activists in the 1990s—is about more than just abortion rights. It is the belief that all people should have the right to have children, not have children, and parent their children in safe, healthy environments.
Bracey Sherman’s work through We Testify is rooted in this framework. She understands that telling our stories is more than just catharsis—it’s activism.
Through storytelling, we:
✔️ Normalize abortion, infertility, and reproductive struggles so Black women don’t feel alone or ashamed.
✔️ Expose racism in healthcare, forcing the medical industry to be held accountable for its failures.
✔️ Shift policy conversations, ensuring that reproductive laws are shaped by the people most affected by them.
One of the most powerful aspects of We Testify is that it provides a platform for Black women and other marginalized people to share their abortion stories in their own words. By centering lived experiences, Bracey Sherman challenges the dominant narrative that Black women’s reproductive choices are irresponsible or immoral.
Reclaiming Our Narratives: The Power of Visibility
When Black women’s voices are missing from reproductive health discussions, policies are made without us in mind.
Consider these examples:
📖 Michelle Obama’s openness about infertility and IVF encouraged more Black women to seek fertility care and talk about their struggles.
📖 Serena Williams’ near-death birth experience shed light on how medical racism endangers even the most high-profile Black women.
📖 Renee Bracey Sherman’s personal abortion story has helped thousands of people feel seen and supported in their own decisions.
By speaking out, these women have forced the world to confront the realities of Black reproductive health.
Bracey Sherman often emphasizes that every Black woman’s story—no matter how ordinary—has the power to change perceptions and policies.
The Policy Impact of Storytelling
Storytelling isn’t just about personal healing—it’s a tool for political and social change.
📢 Abortion Access: By sharing their stories, We Testify storytellers have influenced legislation, including fighting against abortion bans that disproportionately harm Black women.
📢 Maternal Health Advocacy: Black mothers speaking out about their traumatic birth experiences have led to more funding for Black maternal health initiatives.
📢 Ending Stereotypes: Publicly sharing stories disrupts racist narratives that portray Black women as irresponsible or undeserving of reproductive care.
When Black women speak, policymakers can no longer ignore our realities.
Why Breaking the Silence Is Revolutionary
For Black women, breaking the silence around reproductive health is radical. It pushes back against centuries of erasure and reminds the world that we control our own bodies and our own narratives.
Here’s why it matters:
💜 It fights shame and stigma. So many Black women suffer in silence because we’ve been told our pain doesn’t matter. Sharing our stories changes that.
💜 It builds community. By speaking openly, we find others who understand and support us.
💜 It shifts power. When Black women tell their stories, we take control away from the policymakers and media who misrepresent us.
As Bracey Sherman continues to lead We Testify, her message is clear: We deserve to tell our own stories. We deserve to be heard. And we deserve reproductive justice.
Join the Movement for Reproductive Justice
Black women’s reproductive health stories matter—and they deserve to be at the center of every conversation about abortion, maternal health, and reproductive rights.
📖 Want to learn more about the Black women shaping reproductive health today?
Read: Honoring the Legacy, Empowering the Future: Black Women’s Contributions to Reproductive Health
💜 Join the Health In Her HUE Community! Find culturally competent doctors, share your experiences, and connect with other Black women advocating for reproductive health.
