Trigger warning: Contains mentions of rape
WWE anchor Kayla Braxton has said she was a 'product of rape', bravely sharing her story to speak out against the US Supreme Court's ruling to overturn Roe v Wade.
The 1973 case legalised abortion nationwide up to the point of foetal viability, which is generally accepted to be around 24 weeks into pregnancy.
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Since the reversal of the landmark decision, a number of states have already signed bills to ban termination regardless of circumstance – even if they are at risk of death or the victim of a sexual crime.
Taking to Twitter, Braxton – who has been working as a broadcaster for the pro wrestling giant since 2016 – blasted the 'ignorant and arrogant people who have chosen to remain uneducated about what this means for we women'.
In a follow-up message shared on 25 June, she wrote: "I’ll also add – I am a product of rape. My mother was raped by a stranger – to this day, neither of us have any clue who my birth dad is."
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But rather than use her experience as a way to support the abortion ban, she emphasised the importance of women's choice over their bodies.
Braxton, 31, continued: "She chose to have me – clearly – but she did so because she CHOSE to. Not because a law told her she HAD to. It should always be our choice."
Dozens of people took to the comments section to offer support, with some sharing their own similar experiences.
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"I carried my rapist's baby to term," wrote one. "I love him tremendously. That was my choice and I wouldn’t change it but it’s devastating even 19 years later. No woman should be forced to do what I did. Is pro CHOICE. Every woman should be able to choose."
Another said: "Props! So many people take the overly self-centered approach of: 'I’m pro-life because I wouldn’t exist if my mother had aborted me.'
"Another person’s right to avoid forced pregnancy trumps the need to force one’s existence against the will of another."
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"You Kayla, your mother, and countless other women everywhere, are so strong and brave and amazing," added a third. "Choice should always be yours."
If you have been affected by this article, you can find help, support and advice at The Survivors Trust.