HK Gray

Written By Guest User

Pronouns: She/Her

Location: North Texas

I share my story because I want people to know about the laws and bans that affected my access to an abortion. Many people don’t have or know anyone who has gone through these barriers and talked about it so the information is not getting out there. I think it’s powerful for people to know what it’s really like to have to jump through all these hoops in order to get an abortion.

Abortion Advice: You are a whole human being and even though it can be a big decision to have an abortion, it is still just one decision you’ve made. It doesn’t make you, it doesn’t define you. And even though most likely people will judge you for it, at the end of the day none of that matters when you know you made a decision to the best of your ability.

How I honor my abortion: I continue to testify and advocate for reproductive justice. Also on my abortion anniversary, I donate to my local abortion fund and take myself on a self-care date.

What I wish people knew about abortion: I wish people knew that abortions are common. They always have been and they always will. There is this level of secrecy in most communities because of the stigma associated with having an abortion but people from all backgrounds have abortions. They may not say it out loud but there are people in your community with their own abortion stories.

What is your favorite abortion in media? The first person I had ever even heard about that had an abortion was Nicki Minaj. I was like 13 and it was a big scandal on TMZ at the time. Thinking back to it after I had my abortion I really liked how she never showed any shame about it even after the backlash.

HK in the Press

News
Teen Parents Need Access and Support, Not Shame and Scorn
Teen Parents Need Access and Support, Not Shame and Scorn

HK Gray was 15 when she found out she was pregnant with her first child. At the time, her father was homeless, and her mother was incarcerated. “I was ecstatic at the thought of having a family again,” she said.

An Inside Look at the Harm Created by Insurance Bans on Abortion
An Inside Look at the Harm Created by Insurance Bans on Abortion

For over 40 years, Congress has used the Hyde Amendment to keep abortion care out of the reach of low-income people.

Hyde blocks federal funds from Medicaid, a joint federal and state health insurance program, from being used to cover abortion costs. The amendment’s federal spending ban has trickled down to state funding bans and attempts to bar private insurance from covering abortion as well.

For the ‘Beyoncé of Abortion Storytelling,’ the Fight Is Just Beginning

Renee Bracey Sherman is changing how people think about abortions, but her target isn’t the anti-choice activists picketing the rally in front of the Supreme Court. “It’s a waste of my time and energy,” she says. “Men like that are never going to change their minds. They are hell-bent on controlling women and people of color. My job is to ensure that people who have abortions are loved and supported.”

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