This is why #YouKnowMe is trending on Twitter right now
On May 7th, Busy Philipps addressed Georgia’s newly passed abortion law. She spoke about the importance of allowing people to make their own healthcare decisions, and called for “compassion and care” for all women. She looked directly into the camera and said that some people watching at home might not think they know a woman who would have an abortion, and then she said, “Well, you know me.” A week after her poignant comments, on May 14th, Alabama lawmakers passed a near-total ban on abortion in the state, and in response, Philipps is urging other women to speak up with the hashtag #YouKnowMe.
On the evening of May 15th, Philipps called on her followers to share their own abortion stories using the hashtag. Her call to action echoed previous hashtags like #ShoutYourAbortion and #OneInFour.
"1 in 4 women have had had an abortion. Many people think they don't know someone who has, but #youknowme," she tweeted. "So let's do this: if you are also the 1 in 4, let's share it and start to end the shame. Use #youknowme and share your truth."
1 in 4 women have had an abortion. Many people think they don't know someone who has, but #youknowme. So let's do this: if you are also the 1 in 4, let's share it and start to end the shame. Use #youknowme and share your truth.
— Busy Philipps (@BusyPhilipps) May 15, 2019
The tweets began to pour in, and before long, #YouKnowMe was trending on Twitter.
Every story shared under the hashtag was different. Some users wrote that abortion was emotionally painful, while others said that the choice was easy for them to make. There were stories of married couples mutually deciding to terminate a pregnancy and teenagers making the call alone or with their parents’ support.
I was 17, escaping an abusive boyfriend 10 yrs my sr. He took me away from everyone I knew and loved and then I got pregnant. He slutshamed me when i left for the #PlannedParenthood to have my #abortion Best decision I ever made. It saved my life.#YouKnowMe #YouKnowUs
— Ruth Leitman (@ruthlessfilms) May 16, 2019
Date raped at 21. So awful I put it out of my head. Got pregnant. Parents said, what ever you want to do we’ll support your decision. I’ll never forget their support. I made the right decision. #Youknowme
— Wanda Reardart (@Reardart) May 16, 2019
I was 15 and so scared to tell my mom I was pregnant. I went to a judge and he agreed that I was aware of what I was doing and I had a legal and safe abortion at 15 weeks. 25 years later, I have no regrets #YouKnowMe
— Amanda Payne (@DevinRae1) May 16, 2019
https://twitter.com/udfredirect/status/1128897498649485312
I had an abortion. It was the right decision for me, and it wasn't a hard one. My husband and I were working more than full time and had three kids already. I was fortunate that, at the time, accessing abortion in TX was not the nightmare it is now. #YouKnowMe
— Cecile Richards (@CecileRichards) May 16, 2019
I had an abortion when I was 18 years old. I’m not sure if I’ve ever talked about it on here but I’m not ashamed so I’m sharing today because if #youknowme then you know someone who has had an abortion.
— Zerlina Maxwell (@ZerlinaMaxwell) May 16, 2019
I am here and able to mother my incredible daughter because of the health- and life-saving abortion I had when she was three years old. #YouKnowMe
— Jessica Valenti (@JessicaValenti) May 15, 2019
Almost 60 years ago, my mother had an illegal abortion. It was too harrowing for her to discuss, but she made sure I knew it had happened. In 2010, my wife had a legal abortion after we found out her pregnancy was not viable. We cannot and will not go back. #YouKnowMe #YouKnowUs
— Cynthia Nixon (@CynthiaNixon) May 16, 2019
I was 27. My then-boyfriend, who was big on "pulling out in time", thought we should consider having it and I said something like DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW MUCH I AM ON THE VERGE OF DOING?? 2 years later I started shooting my first feature. #youknowme https://t.co/AA6kiKKz0v
— Miranda July (@Miranda_July) May 15, 2019
I was 26, happily married and excited for the pregnancy. We got a non compatible with life diagnosis – the skull didn’t form. We ended the pregnancy at 13 weeks. We made the best choice for us and now have a happy and healthy baby #youknowme #1in4
— Michelle (@seash1492) May 16, 2019
Some thanked those who chose to share their stories, but pointed out that no one should feel obligated to open up if they don’t want to.
Love to folks sharing their stories of abortion on #YouKnowMe. Also want to point out the subtext of this…our culture demands people explain to strangers reasons for terminating pregnancies. We're not owed reasons, actually.
— Tọ́pẹ́ (@graceishuman) May 15, 2019
Thank you for talking about your abortion @BusyPhilipps. I want to live in a world where it is no longer “courageous” to tell the world about your abortion. But…it is. I want a world where we can unapologetically exist as whole human beings. #youknowme https://t.co/GKAyiqsh7K
— Jenny Yang (@jennyyangtv) May 15, 2019
I feel proud and honored to hear people sharing their #YouKnowMe abortion stories, but let’s be clear, you don’t need to have a “reason” to have an abortion. You shouldn’t have to prove to anyone why you want control over your own body and your own life.
— Hannah Solow (@hamstertalk) May 15, 2019
Philipps told The New York Times that Tina Fey, the executive producer for Busy Tonight, had originally urged her to make #YouKnowMe a hashtag. Philipps hesitated…until the Alabama law passed. She also said that in the wake of the tweet, some critics had wondered how she could be “proud” of having an abortion.
"I never said I was proud of it," Philipps told NYT. "It’s a thing I experienced as a woman that many women in this country and around the world have experienced. I refuse to live in shame, and I refuse to hold on to something that I have no shame about."
Thank you to each and every person sharing their stories with the #YouKnowMe hashtag—because we need to end the stigma.
