Civil rights attorney Gloria Allred has devoted her life to fighting for equality for all marginalized groups, but her mission to make abortion legal across state lines runs particularly close to her heart. In a HuffPost Live interview on Thursday, Allred shared the harrowing story of fighting for her life as she underwent an "under-the-table" abortion.
"It's because of my life experiences that I am such a strong feminist," she told host Alyona Minkovski. "It's because I had to have an abortion when it was not illegal for a woman to get one, but illegal for a doctor to provide one, and I almost died because it was unsafe and I was left to bleed to death. Fortunately for me I didn't, but it was a really terrible experience."
She hopes to do everything in her power to prevent future generations of women from experiencing the same.
"I don't want anyone else's daughter to go through that," she said. "I want it to be safe and available, and I want it to be affordable, and of course in many states it's not, and that's why I have such a passion for protecting the right to choose abortion."
Allred famously represented Norma McCorvey -- otherwise known as Jane Roe -- in the 1973 Roe v. Wade case that fought to legalize abortions. Since arguing the case, McCorvey has come forth and changed her stance to pro-life. While the two "still have a cordial relationship," Allred's views have grown stronger.
"I support her right to have whatever opinion she wishes to have and to choose her path," Allred said. "Obviously I would respectfully disagree with her. I'm more strongly pro-choice now than I've ever been in my life."
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