Abortion access debate hits close to home for state senator and his daughter

INDIANAPOLIS — No matter what side of the abortion access debate people stood on, advocates from both sides stood outside the same Senate chamber Monday, often feet from each other, shouting their position, with passion and conviction. 

Both had the same goal: to make sure the lawmakers inside the chamber heard their voices. 

“I felt that passion today,” Jessica Doriot said. 

And she brought it to the Statehouse, along with a sign. 

“My sign said, ‘Senator Doriot, keep your laws off my uterus. Love, Your daughter,’” she explained. 

The 40-year-old is the daughter of State Senator Blake Doriot, R-District 12, which is in northern Indiana, who Jessica said she expects to vote for more restrictions on abortion access. To what extent, though, she can’t say. 

“When we talked about it, he said, ‘One of my children is going to be happy,’” Jessica said. “I have a sister who’s for a total ban. I have a sister who’s for exceptions, and then you have me, who’s completely pro-choice."

The division in this one Indiana family is a mirror image of just how divided Hoosiers who came out to the Statehouse Monday afternoon were on the issue. That was never more evident than outside the Senate Chamber on the first day of the special session. 

“I believe abortion is a health care right that is important for all individuals who can become pregnant to have access to safe abortions,” said Ashley Pirani from Bloomington. 

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“I was given up for adoption by my birth mother, who tried to abort me twice,” said Karen Grizzle from Greenwood. “If I’m pushed into a corner, I’m going to be more pro-life because of my own experience, probably, because if my mother had been successful, I wouldn’t be here."

It’s a debate where many on both sides argued from deeply personal experiences — a debate, Jessica Doriot has within her own family, that’s moved beyond the family’s kitchen table, now to halls of the Indiana Statehouse. 

“When I walked away from him, I told him to make good decisions. So, I don’t know that he will. I love my father very much. I don’t love his opinions,” she said. 

13News reached out to Sen. Doriot for comment through his press secretary, but he did not respond.