Behind Every Choice Is a Story is a poignant blend of personal 
stories, commentary, and memoir that chronicles the life-changing 
reproductive choices that women, men, and teens make every day. 
The book also traces Gloria Feldt’s personal journey from the 
dusty oil fields of West Texas to becoming a Head Start teacher 
and activist in the Civil Rights and women’s movement, 
culminating in her current standing as one of the most influential 
voices in the reproductive freedom movement.

    The book was inspired by the 1928 Motherhood in Bondage, a 
collection of letters written by women to Margaret Sanger, the 
founder of Planned Parenthood. Publishing these letters from 
women in desperate circumstances helped to equate the concept of 
birth control with higher values of wanted children, healthy 
mothers, loving couples, self realization, and female emancipation. 
Behind Every Choice Is a Story addresses many of those same 
issues and values and advances a new agenda for the twenty-first 
century.

    Behind Every Choice Is a Story sounds a clarion call by 
highlighting the importance of storytelling as a cultural force in 
encouraging change. Feldt recognizes and values women’s stories 
for their personal, social, and political importance. The book 
uniquely positions current issues of reproductive freedom in the 
context of everyday experiences and provides a refreshing new 
framework to understand the current political and social landscape. 
Although the primary audience for this book is women who 
support reproductive freedom, a wide audience including men and 
teens will find their experiences among the compelling stories. It 
will also appeal to those who are intrigued by the unique 
perspective the book gives to the real-life impact of reproductive 
choices.
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GLORIA FELDT, president of the Planned Parenthood Federation 
of America since 1996, has served the organization for almost 
thirty years. She is the recipient of numerous honors, including 
America’s Top 200 Women Leaders, Legends, and Trailblazers, 
awarded by Vanity Fair in 1998. Born in Temple, Texas, she now 
lives in New York City with her husband, Alex Barbanell. Their 
leisure time is spent primarily with their combined family of six 
children, nine grandchildren, and one great-grandchild.



What people are saying about this book

"Behind Every Choice Is a Story will change how America talks 
about reproductive rights. Gloria’s book inspires us to heed the 
clarion call, tell our stories, and raise our voices together."
—Kathleen Turner