On Abortion

by Laia Abril

Every year, 47,000 women around the world die due to botched illegal abortions. Those who survive risk imprisonment, while millions of others are forced to carry pregnancies to term against their will.
Control of female fertility has long been an ambition of most states, societies and religions in the world. Although safe and efficient abortion technologies now exist, at least 138 countries restrict a woman's right to terminate pregnancy under various conditions – in some countries, abortion is forbidden even in cases of rape or threat to the mother's life.
From fish bladder condoms to abortion drones to anti-abortion terrorism, On Abortion gathers images, documents and testimonies about the repercussions of the lack of free, legal and safe access to abortion. Spanning centuries up to the present-day, this painstaking visual research reveals one extraordinary chapter in a history of misogyny that has been largely invisible until now.

Genres: Photography, Feminism, Art, Nonfiction

196 pages, Hardcover

Published January 18, 2018

Reviews

[Frank Oswald]

A decent political document. The only issue I take with it is the censorship of aborted fetus imagery. I feel as though hiding from the messy details only harms women and the cause itself. There is a case made in the book implicitly against viewing these images because of the fact that anti-abortionists often use them for shock tactics in their protests. Personally I believe the best way to overcome these shock tactics is not to soft pedal abortion by hiding the messy aspect of the fetal corpse. As long as those images remain hidden they will have power. If proponents of abortion are able to soberly contemplate all elements of the procedure more strength would be given to the movement. For example, most of the images circulated by pro-life groups are late-term abortions (ie, ones that could have been circumvented by earlier access to the procedure). Being able to better identify the different stages of fetal development might cut through some of the sensation produced by these images. There is a terrific book on fetal development titled A Child is Born by Lennart Nilsson. If you want to see the difference between a fetus at 1 month and a fetus at 8 months, it's all there. More education on the fetus and its development might prove to have some interesting effects for both sides of the debate.
There's another reason to contemplate the image of an aborted fetus. The revulsion towards it is often associated with the revulsion of looking at a dead baby. I would make the case that it's deeper than that. Whether a fetus or a diseased organ removed from a body, the revulsion we feel beholding these kinds of images is the fear of our own death. It's a good fear for everyone to overcome.

[Jordan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Devastating and incredible. Every page was jaw-dropping, every detail worth telling. On a book design level, it's beautiful and creative without getting in the way of the material. This is design to aid, not to displace. I just can't imagine this book being any better. Necessary.

[Anjella · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful and thoughtful.

[Katie McCraw · Rating 5 out of 5]

An incredible, stark and beautifully presented history of misogyny.