Every day, women of all different backgrounds walk through the doors of one of Support Circle’s pregnancy centers. These women have almost nothing in common with one another, except one thing: They are seeking a safe space to talk. That is, if the city of San Francisco will allow it.

The city has passed laws that single out pregnancy centers like ours because we do not offer abortions. Those laws make it harder for the women coming to us to find the help they seek. For decades, Support Circle pregnancy centers have provided pregnancy tests, ultrasounds, medical care, and counseling to Bay Area women facing unplanned pregnancies, in addition to connecting women with a network of community services including housing, job training, and financial counseling. But after ten years of working at Support Circle, I’ve come to believe our most important work is that which costs us nothing: listening.