Understanding and responding to anti-choice women-centred strategies.
This paper discusses the rise and use of a "woman-centred" anti-choice strategy to oppose abortion in Australia and the USA. It argues that this strategy seeks to imitate and exploit aspects of the pro-choice, women-centred position on abortion. The strategy contends that women do not really choose abortion but are pressured into it by others and then experience a range of negative effects afterwards, including an increased risk of breast cancer, infertility and post-abortion grief. Rather than evaluate the truth of such claims, this paper seeks to explicate from a feminist perspective the design, intent and implications of this strategy and how it is being used in legislative tactics, counselling, law suits and anti-choice activism. Such an analysis is necessary for pro-choice efforts to respond effectively to this new strategy, not only through literal rebuttals based on evidence, but also through responses that counter its ideological power.
D000028:Abortion, Induced / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000523:psychology; D001315:Australia; D003376:Counseling; D003657:Decision Making; D005260:Female; D019513:Feminism; D006801:Humans; D008318:Malpractice / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D010344:Patient Advocacy; D011247:Pregnancy; D014481:United States