Welcome to The A Files: A Secret History of Abortion! Here’s the first thing you need to know: Everything you’ve been taught about abortion is wrong. And the real truth is fascinating, frustrating, and key for every one of us to understand in 2024 and beyond. In this series, Renee Bracey Sherman and Regina Mahone—reproductive justice experts and friends—unpack the hidden history of this very common practice, from ancient Greek methods to the anti-Black roots of abortion bans in the U.S. Plus, some of the smartest people we know stop by to drop wisdom, and Renee and Regina start a little book club for all of us. Enjoy, and remember: As Renee says, Everyone loves someone who’s had an abortion.
Renee Bracey Sherman
is a reproductive justice activist, abortion storyteller, and writer. She is the founder and executive director of We Testify, an organization dedicated to the leadership and representation of people who have abortions and share their stories at the intersection of race, class, and gender identity. She is also an executive producer of Ours to Tell, an award-winning documentary elevating the voices of people who’ve had abortions, and the co-author of the book LIBERATING ABORTION: Our Legacy, Stories, and Vision for How We Save Us from Amistad/HarperCollins 2024.
Regina Mahone
is a senior editor at The Nation and co-author of LIBERATING ABORTION: Our Legacy, Stories, and Vision for How We Save Us. Previously, Regina served as vice president for editorial content at Courier Newsroom, a media company dedicated to helping people better understand what’s happening in local and national governments. Prior to that, Regina was vice president and managing editor at Rewire News Group, a nonprofit media organization devoted to evidence-based reporting on reproductive and sexual health, rights, and justice.
Dr. Tracy Weitz
Chelsea Williams-Diggs
Rafa Kidvai
Dr. Gretchen Sisson
Kendall Ciesemier
Cazembe Murphy Jackson
LaTosha Brown
No One’s Access to Abortion Is Guaranteed – No Matter Where You Live
Living in a “blue state” does not guarantee the availability of abortion care to everyone who needs it.
Two Best Friends Made a Podcast About Their Abortions and It’s Eye-Opening Fun
The Nation’s Regina Mahone and We Testify’s Renee Bracey Sherman love to chat about abortion.
Why Adoption Is Not A Real Alternative To Abortion
We cannot deny people the right to parent in order to restrict the right to abortion.
This Country’s Abortion Crisis Is Really a Voting Rights Problem
The only way anti-abortion politicians can pass dangerous, unpopular restrictions is by gerrymandering their state legislatures into oblivion.
This New Podcast on the Secret History of Abortion Centers Black Women
At the center of The Meteor’s newest podcast, The A: Files A Secret History of Abortion, are two friends — friends who talk about abortion a lot.
While we love Margaret Atwood’s Classic The Handmaid’s Tale, we are excited to tell you that it is not the only novel with abortion in it! In each episode, we talk about a novel that we love and includes abortion, along with conversations about race, class, policing, and gender identity.
Take My Hand
House of Cotton
The American Marriage
Little Fires Everywhere
Detransition, Baby
Olga Dies Dreaming
Executive producers: Renee Bracey Sherman, Regina Mahone
Executive producers for The Meteor: Tara Abrahams, Cindi Leive
Executive producer for LWC Studios: Juleyka Lantigua
Managing producer: Paulina Velasco
Producer: Anne Lim
Sound Design and Engineering: Kojin Tashiro
Logo and cover art: Pixelittle
The A-Files is produced for The Meteor by LWC Studios with support from The Meteor Fund. Special thanks to Pop Culture Collaborative.