‘You represent us’: What it’s like to lobby for abortion rights from a red state

17 advocates and storytellers from a dozen states came to the U.S. Capitol for a day of lobbying and advocacy rooted in their own experiences.

The advocates hoped that direct conversations with congressional staff would put a human face to the complexities of abortion.

Three women from red states had the added challenge of talking to staff for Republican representatives whose opinions on abortion differed from theirs.

In 2023 , Nebraska lawmakers enacted a 12-week abortion ban that also included restrictions on gender-affirming care.

Nebraska student Lacey Regmi says comprehensive sex education is a powerful tool to prevent unwanted pregnancies.

Regmi is advocating for more exceptions to Nebraska ’s abortion ban to include fatal fetal abnormalities.

Lane , a 40-year-old school counselor from South Carolina , was expecting her second child in 2017 when she received a fatal fetal diagnosis.

Norman is opposed to abortion, in part because of experiences within his family and his own religious beliefs.

Lane sees value in sharing her story and using her experience to bridge gaps between people’s perceptions of what abortion is and how it applied to her, a married mother who was carrying a wanted pregnancy.