Angry About Anti-Choice Legislation? Read These Books.
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In case you haven’t noticed, autonomy over our own bodies is being stripped. Numerous bills have been introduced that have no scientific backing, are unconstitutional, and will be psychologically and physically harmful to people with uteruses, if not put their lives in danger. In some states, if these bills become laws, the punishment for a rape victim getting an abortion or the provider doing the abortion is exponentially more severe than the punishment the rapist would get. People have the potential to be criminalized for miscarrying. (Think about that for a second—really, and truly think about the cruelty of that, as well as the ridiculousness of it). But it’s about much more: abortion is not a women’s issue. It is a healthcare issue. It is a Civil Rights issue. It is a safe and legal medical procedure done with informed consent. It is no one’s business but the person who is getting the procedure. You don’t know their story, nor do you need to. Not your body? Not your business.
If you’re fired up about the attack on abortion rights—or even if you’re not sure about it but would like to read more about this, here’s a list of books that might be helpful.
This is a gutting memoir of Ptacin’s unplanned pregnancy at 28 and her decision to keep the pregnancy and start a family—only to find that the fetus had multiple conditions not compatible with life. What follows is a personal look at the decision to have an abortion, and a vivid picture of what late-term abortion really looks like. (Hint: it’s not what anti-choice legislators would have you believe).
This. This is imperative. This is a guidebook for the day we never thought we’d see coming, but it’s looming. Marty takes readers through every scenario and discusses how to network, how to plan for emergencies, what you should know about legalities, and information about self-managed abortion care. There is also a highly inclusive resource guide covering access and organizations and action groups in every state for you if you need to access them or if you want to become involved.
As a comics person, I love this. An anthology of comics about abortion: the history of abortion, current issues with abortion, activism, and more. A great way to get people involved and educated about reproductive issues. What’s especially great about this is that lawyers and abortion professionals have also paired with the illustrators to add factual information about the abortion process and reproductive rights.
This is not merely an “abortion memoir.” To call it that would be a grave disservice. Yes, Underwood had an abortion at 19, but that set her on a path of spirituality and self-discovery that changed her life forever. Taking her cues from women from all different spiritualities and religions, Underwood carved out a path of healing from abortion that taught her more than she ever expected. Make no mistake, this is a memoir about life.
