Scarlet A the ethics, law, and politics of ordinary abortion

Although Roe v. Wade identified abortion as a constitutional right 45 years ago, it still bears stigma--a proverbial scarlet A. Millions of Americans have participated in or benefited from an abortion, but few want to reveal that they have done so. Approximately one in five pregnancies in the US end...

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Main Author: Watson, Katie (Author)
Format: Books Print Book
Language: English
Published: New York, NY : Oxford University Press, [2019]
Subjects:
Summary: Although Roe v. Wade identified abortion as a constitutional right 45 years ago, it still bears stigma--a proverbial scarlet A. Millions of Americans have participated in or benefited from an abortion, but few want to reveal that they have done so. Approximately one in five pregnancies in the US ends in abortion. Why is something so common, which has been legal so long, still a source of shame and secrecy? Why is it so regularly debated by politicians, and so seldom divulged from friend to friend? This book explores the personal stigma that prevents many from sharing their abortion experiences with friends and family in private conversation, and the structural stigma that keeps it that way.
Item Description: Paperback edition 2019. First published in 2018
Physical Description: xvii, 280 pages ; 22 cm
Bibliography: Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN: 9780190624859
019062485X
0190051728
9780190051723
Author Notes: Katie Watson is a bioethicist and lawyer who has taught bioethics, medical humanities, and constitutional law for fifteen years at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine. In her role as an ethics professor, she has been elected a Board member of the American Society for Bioethics and Humanities, Chair of the Ethics Committee and Board member of the National Abortion Federation, and Bioethics Advisor to and Member of the National Medical Council of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America. In 2017, she began practicing law again, joining the ACLU of Illinois as Senior Counsel for the Women's and Reproductive Rights Project.