Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Shared A Heartbreaking Personal Story Amid Roe V. Wade's Roll Back
The following article includes allegations of sexual assault.
As American citizens either protest or celebrate the overturning of Roe v. Wade, many politicians have also spoken out about this historic Supreme Court decision. President Joe Biden released a statement declaring, "With this decision, the conservative majority of the Supreme Court shows how far removed they are from the majority of this country," while former Vice President Mike Pence wrote on Twitter, "Today, Life Won."
Even celebrities have reacted to the SCOTUS news on social media. For instance, Taylor Swift shared Michelle Obama's statement regarding the Roe v. Wade reversal along with tweeting, "I'm absolutely terrified that this is where we are — that after so many decades of people fighting for women's rights to their own bodies, today's decision has stripped us of that." Over on Instagram, the Kardashian family used their Instagram Stories to share their thoughts on Friday, according to People, with Kim Kardashian posting, "In America, guns have more rights than women." While many people have been very vocal online about the Supreme Court's overturning of Roe v. Wade, it's Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez who has taken to the streets to share her heartbreaking and personal story.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez protested outside the Supreme Court
United States Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has been a champion of reproductive rights for years. Even before the Supreme Court's decision on Roe v. Wade was leaked in May, Ocasio-Cortez was one of the co-sponsors of the Women's Health Protection Act. While the act passed in the House back in September 2021, it failed to reach the necessary 60 votes in the Senate to pass in May (via NPR). This would have codified Roe v. Wade and prevented the Supreme Court from overturning it.
Before the decision was made in the Senate, Ocasio-Cortez tweeted, "If we don't [pass the Women's Health Protection Act], what message does that send? We can't sit around, finger point, & hand wring as people's futures [and] equality are on the line." Sitting around is exactly what the New York representative didn't do as soon as the news of Roe v. Wade was announced. She was spotted outside the Supreme Court with protestors, chanting "into the streets" (via Twitter).
Conservative representative Marjorie Taylor Greene responded to the clips of Ocasio-Cortez at the protests, claiming she "launched an insurrection." AOC was quick to tweet, "I will explain this to you slowly: exercising our right to protest is not obstruction of Congress nor an attempt to overturn democracy."
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez shared her connection to Roe v. Wade
The protests outside the Supreme Court wasn't the only event Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez attended this weekend. The U.S. representative also flew to New York from D.C. to join a group of protestors in Union Square who were "sharing their abortion stories," according to Twitter. In the video posted online, AOC begins her speech by telling those in attendance that just a few years ago, she worked as a waitress near the NYC park. She also revealed that she helped friends visit a "free family health center" nearby who were seeking abortions and had been sexually assaulted.
That's when Ocasio-Cortez revealed that she had been raped while living in New York, and at the time, she "felt completely alone." While waiting for the results of her pregnancy test in a public bathroom, the U.S. representative thought to herself, "Thank God I have, at least, a choice. Thank God I could, at least, have the freedom to choose my destiny." It ended up that AOC was not pregnant, but she said "it doesn't matter." She ended her speech declaring, "[This] is for all of us. This is not a women's rights issue. This is an issue for all of us."
If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).