Media
Lucy, Photographed by Natalie Gale
“This photo helps frame my abortion experience by portraying who I was able to become and what I was able to accomplish as a result of terminating my pregnancy. A year after my abortion, I was able to open my own business; the resulting pride and sense of accomplishment I feel with this new venture is a direct result of my ability to choose.” My abortion experience was a series of positive and negative emotions: courage and fear, support and isolation, comfort and embarrassment, all of which were important factors in my decision making process. My abortion experience was not black-and-white, this photo captures the mixed emotions that came with my decision and the ways they all balanced.”
“This photo is powerful because of its location and the reality of living with an abortion experience. The ocean is (and was, during my decision-making process) one of my favorite places to reflect. Ultimately, my abortion experience is a part of my story as a person; it’s a reality that I live with and incorporate into my existence in new ways all the time.”
Originally hailing from Portland, Maine, Natalie Gale is in her second year at Harvard College. Natalie is heavily involved in the social justice community on campus and works as a Programming Intern at the Harvard Office of BGLTQ Student Life. Natalie has pursued her love for photography and portraiture through a variety of channels since discovering it in middle school and is passionate about using artistic media as a platform for change. Most recently, Natalie spent the summer taking photographs in the Himalayas as a media intern for ANKURI, an NGO dedicated to empowering village women in rural northern India. In her free time, Natalie loves hiking, skiing, and spending time with friends and family.