New Research From Abortion in America Finds Personal Stories Move Audiences Across the Political Spectrum

New research finds personal stories are key to helping Americans understand that abortion restrictions are real and affecting people right now—particularly Gen Z men and moderate pro-choice women.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 14, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Abortion in America—a growing national effort dedicated to lifting up firsthand experiences of people affected by post-Roe abortion bans and other restrictive laws—released new research showing that authentic, personal stories about abortion are among the most effective tools to build empathy, shift attitudes, and mobilize support for reproductive freedom. These findings were especially pronounced among Gen Z men, Independents, and moderate pro-choice women.

The multiphase study combined a national poll of likely 2026 voters with qualitative focus groups and online discussions testing Abortion in America's short-form videos The new research found that, abortion remains a defining issue for Americans—especially when presented with personal testimonials.

Key findings:

• Gen Z men, often viewed as politically disengaged or drifting to the right, responded strongly to personal storytelling. After hearing real experiences of women and families navigating abortion bans, Gen Z men who said abortion was not a top concern in the 2024 election were significantly more likely to say abortion will matter "a great deal" in determining which candidates to support going forward.|
  
  
• At a time when many Americans feel exhausted by politics, this research finds that authentic, personal abortion stories are breaking through the noise. After watching personal testimonials from people who needed abortions, participants said abortion restrictions felt more real and like something that could affect their loved ones.
  
  
• Personal stories drive urgency and empathy. After watching a video featuring a woman forced to leave her state for an abortion, one participant commented that her experience "could have happened to me. It could have happened to you. It could have happened to my best friend, my mother."
  
  
• People want to hear from patients—not politicians—on abortion. By a 34-point margin, participants said they would prefer to hear from people personally affected by abortion restrictions instead of politicians. This strong preference is consistent across political party.

"When the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, it opened the floodgates for a tidal wave of abortion bans and severe restrictions across the country," said Lauren Peterson, Chief Executive Officer of Abortion in America. "Our new research found that Americans continue to care deeply about abortion, but don't realize the full extent of this drastic change in access to care or believe it won't affect them. Firsthand accounts from people whose lives, work, health, and families have been upended by abortion bans have the power to change that."

Among the stories shared were those of Ashley Brandt, who was forced to leave Texas for an abortion to save the life of one of her twins, and Hope Ngumezi, whose wife Porsha died after being denied miscarriage treatment.

"Before my experience, I had no idea the abortion law in my state could impact me the way it did," said Brandt, whose personal testimonial resonated across every demographic included in the research. "Sharing my family's story wasn't easy, but I'm thankful that talking about our negative experience is helping more people understand that abortion bans don't just affect strangers. They affect people like me, like all of us."

This new research reaffirms Abortion in America's core belief: that when people directly impacted by abortion restrictions share their experiences, it changes the conversation and takes abortion from an abstract political issue to a deeply personal and urgent matter of health care, dignity, and freedom.

About Abortion in America

Abortion in America, a project of Hopewell Fund, is a growing national effort to bring greater public attention and urgency to the toll abortion bans are taking on people's health, lives, work, and families. Abortion in America is focused on documenting and sharing personal stories, supporting and organizing people who come forward to share their experiences, and creating change with organizing, strategic partnerships, and litigation through Amplify Legal. To learn more about Abortion in America, please visit abortioninamerica.org or follow us on TikTok and Instagram @AbortionInAmerica.

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SOURCE Abortion in America