Abortion at 15 changed my life, says Wales Green Party candidate

Tessa Marshall, 28, told sixth form students she had an abortion at 15 and said the experience shaped her views on bodily autonomy and sex education. She is standing for the Senedd in May and spoke about the issue at a Cardiff school hustings.

A Wales Green Party candidate has spoken publicly about having an abortion at age 15 and said the experience helped shape her views on women's health and rights. Tessa Marshall, 28, raised the matter while introducing herself at a sixth form hustings at Ysgol Plasmawr in Cardiff. She said the episode occurred while she was studying for GCSEs and later framed it as part of her political awakening. Key points: - Tessa Marshall told students she had an abortion at 15 and said it "changed" her life. - She said access to abortion allowed her to continue her studies with minimal disruption and informed her views on bodily autonomy. - Marshall criticised gaps in sex education she experienced and said young people need accurate information. - The article notes abortion law in Britain: Wales, England and Scotland allow abortion up to 24 weeks, while Northern Ireland has allowed abortion up to 12 weeks since 2020 with later exceptions in specified cases. Summary: Marshall presented her personal experience as influencing her stance on women's rights and sex education and called for those rights to be defended in politics. She is a candidate in the Senedd election scheduled for May, and further developments will be determined in the course of the campaign.