Abortions are an extremely common procedure but remain deeply stigmatised. This interactive, hybrid event explores myths, embellishments, and sensationalist stories that surround depictions of abortion in media (news headlines, films, tv shows, books). Contrasting these depictions with current evidence and knowledge on abortion, this event offers a corrective to stigmatised understandings and narratives of abortion by reclaiming and reimagining ‘what’s in an abortion’. Following an initial, facilitator-led discussion (approx. 45 minutes), participants will produce a collective ‘zine responding to relevant prompts & discussion points (approx. 45 minutes). The public ‘zine will be available online and via a public archive.
This interactive, hybrid workshop aims to shift how abortion is understood and aims to challenge abortion stigma, which has extremely harmful effects on people’s wellbeing both at the time of care and throughout their lifetime. It does so by critically examining and troubling everyday depictions of abortion in media. Different depictions from a range of media sources will be selected and curated beforehand in order to have a range of different points to discuss, including the role of myths, misinformation, stereotypes, and stigma. Invited speakers will help facilitate these discussions and bring their expertise as abortion activists/artists into the conversation.
This will be followed be a zine activity (materials and instructions provided), where participants will respond to the prompt “what’s in an abortion?” and invited either to create/contribute a response. This may include responding to the myths around abortion, telling a story or drawing, with the “challenge” being how to tell different/new/alternate abortion stories than the ones they always see/hear/don’t hear. This will be a low-pressure activity, with outputs encouraged to range from ‘baby ‘zines’ of one sheet of paper to more creative works, depending on attendee preference
Dr Rishita Nandagiri, King's College London
Joe Strong, LSE
Open to the public
It is aimed at a general audience, but will be of particular interest to activist groups, and healthcare workers.