Description

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Although the Dallas Fire Department had saved the clinic, we were shaken and heartsick that our son had just spent Christmas Day at a crime scene.

I had performed my first abortion in the year Kyle was born, and though he had long supported our work, he now felt worried for us in ways he’d never expressed. As we stood near the ruins, breathing fresh air in gulps, he said, “Do you have to keep doing this work?” 

We were both silent for long moments before I simply said, “No. We choose to.” 

In this deeply personal account, Dr. Curtis Boyd and Dr. Glenna Halvorson-Boyd reflect on their lives in abortion care, from the childhood experiences that shaped their paths to the Supreme Court decision that forced the closure of their Dallas clinic.

Their stories begin in the 1960s, as Curtis opens a clandestine abortion practice while breaking with the beliefs of his Baptist family and Glenna pursues psychology while coming to understand the world of restrictive gender roles. When the two of them meet shortly after abortion is legalized, they bond over a common commitment to women, forming a professional and personal partnership that will weather the coming decades.

We Choose To is the story of that partnership, and the staff and patients that have shaped the history of modern abortion. In these pages, Curtis and Glenna share their holistic, morally rooted approach to their work. Led by a desire to empower patients, they advance abortion and mental health care further than ever even as they find themselves at the center of a controversial new issue in American life.

Sweeping, introspective, and deeply honest, We Choose To is a rare portrait of abortion providers and the world in which they work, where abortion is not a talking point in a culture war but a private, even spiritual, act.

About the Author

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Curtis Boyd, MD, is nationally known for developing abortion procedures and standards of care. He is also recognized for his expertise in pain management and minimizing surgery risk. Furthermore, Dr. Boyd was involved in establishing the National Abortion Federation (NAF) and is a founding member of the Federation’s Board of Directors. NAF serves as a forum for abortion providers and others committed to providing quality abortion services so that they remain accessible to all women.

Glenna Halvorson-Boyd, PhD, RN, served on National Abortion Federation’s Board of directors and as NAF’s president for two years (1984-1986). She is an accomplished counselor, trainer, and consultant with a national reputation for her training of professionals in this field. Dr. Halvorson-Boyd has a PhD in Human and Organizational Development. Her previous publications include the book Dancing in Limbo: Making Sense of Life after Cancer.

Praise For…

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“Some books stay with you long after the last page; this is one. Having already dedicated their lives and careers to the cause of reproductive freedom, Curtis Boyd and Glenna Halvorson-Boyd have given the world yet another gift with this profoundly moving and beautifully written memoir. We Choose To is a story of love, shared humanity, and the power of choosing to stare injustice in the face and do something about it.”
—Cecile Richards, former President of Planned Parenthood and New York Times bestselling author of Make Trouble

"We Choose To illustrates what anti-abortion activists try to deny: that abortion care can be tender and restore women’s sense of self. It is a rare historical document about an often hidden medical practice that demonstrates why access to compassionate abortion services are so crucial to women’s health and lives."
—Johanna Schoen, professor of history, Rutgers University; author of Abortion After Roe, 

"A thoughtful reckoning with the recent history of abortion in the United States."
—Kirkus Reviews

“Curtis Boyd and Glenna Halvorson-Boyd have each played hugely significant roles in the evolution of abortion care in the United States. Their contributions include both key medical improvements in abortion methods and new approaches to abortion counseling, as well as to the often-overlooked issue of staff care. In this beautifully written memoir, the reader is introduced to both the challenges and gratifications of a lifetime spent doing this essential work. A bonus feature is the book’s moving portrayal of a loving marriage that is able to withstand the stresses of its partners’ involvement in the most contentious issue in American politics.”
—Carole Joffe, Professor of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, University of California San Francisco, coauthor of Obstacle Course: The Everyday Struggle to Get an Abortion in California

“Curtis and Glenna Boyd are heroes of the abortion movement. They have helped many thousands of women with exceptional care. They inspired and taught generations of abortion providers with their unique, courageous, and profoundly empathic practice in the face of unrelenting harassment and political interference.”
—Philip Darney, MD and Uta Landy, PhD, Bixby Center for Global Reproductive Health, University of California San Francisco

"This intimate and moving account of the reality of abortion care tells a unique story. The authors poetically describe the love and compassion that drives their work, for their patients, for their staff, and for each other, while also grappling with the grim reality for their family of choosing this line of work, as the danger and violence of anti-abortion activists is ever present. Their humility and dedication provide a model that should guide the next generation of abortion providers and advocates."
—Nancy Northup, President and CEO of the Center for Reproductive Rights