054: Guilt, Shame and an Open Conversation on Abortion with Lois McKenzie

For today’s episode, I’m joined by Lois McKenzie, founder of marketing agency, Up Club and actually someone who works on my team, as we dive head first into a really important and personal topic for both of us; abortion. In light of the recent news on Roe v Wade, it’s beyond important to start conversations about women’s right to abortion and what the ruling means for millions of women in America. We both open up about our own experiences with abortion while comparing the similarities in dealing with unnecessary guilt, and shame and discuss the differences between getting an abortion in the UK and the US. We tackle the nuances in the pro-life and pro-choice movements and the challenges that those labels can bring, how different our lives would be now and the situations we could have ended up in if we didn’t have access to abortions, and how we believe at the core, that most people are in favor of giving women the right to autonomy over their bodies.   WHAT ELSE WE TALK ABOUT:   The lack of support for women deciding to have an abortion and wanting more information from real people and real stories  How every story is riddled with guilt and shame and ways to counteract and welcome those feelings instead Acknowledging the privileges and access opportunities that we have that so many other women may not have and how that affects their experiences How not leaving space for conversations on abortion can lead to even more separation creating a dangerous Us vs Them dynamic  The lack of education among young women on sex, understanding our cycles, protection, pregnancy, relationships, when to recognize abuse and so much more How much of an impact it can have on your mental health and how the lack of choice and support can only intensify these struggles How Kelley’s first pregnancy ignited her self-growth journey and essentially made her who she is today Lois’ experience with sharing her story on social media and the responses she received (we all have such similar experiences!) Connect with Lois: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/loismckenzieee/ Connect with me:   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kelleymbode Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kelley.bode.90  Twitter: https://twitter.com/kelleybode