(This post is a response to the module on representations in reproduction)

This module got me thinking again about one of the episodes of the very popular HBO show GIRLS.  In the series second episode the character Jessa believes that she is pregnant, her supportive friends decide to “throw” her an abortion and they all come to the clinic to help her through this troubling time.   Only things don’t go exactly according to plan, the unreliable and irresponsible Jessa doesn’t show up because she is busy drinking and hooking up with a random stranger in a bathroom.  All ends well though because while she is in said bathroom she discovers that she has her period and POOF, problem solved. This representation of reproductive choice stayed with me for a long time.  While there was some things that I appreciated about it, such as the nature in which they addressed the issue of abortion, as if it was not unusual or immoral, overall I found it to be quite troubling. The main reason is that abortion is extremely common, by making Jessa’s pregnancy false, because likely she never was pregnant, it undermines all the woman who have had abortions and stood up to the mounting moral pressure that is still weighed against them.  It also works to paint a picture of women in general as silly and irresponsible, despite the fact that pregnancy tests are widely available somehow Jessa’s friends were able to schedule her an appointment for an abortion without actually confirming whether she was in fact pregnant or not.  I noticed this theme of the young silly woman appeared quite frequently in the clips from other popular culture programs. I feel this representation makes excuses for the women who seek abortions, a woman needs to be in trouble for her to be justified in this decision. There is a whole ideological framework that denotes what the “good” reasons are for having an abortion such as being to young, being too poor,  instances of sexual assault, lack of involvement of the father and so on… but this doesn’t really present a choice.  It further perpetuates an uneasiness about abortion that states that it is totally fine if you want to have one because you have been a “poor silly female” but if your reasons don’t fit into these categories then all the stigma returns.  Personally I hate that in 2014 we are still having conversations about what is “right” in regards to reproductive health, the government has no place stating what a woman can do with her body and continuing to tiptoe around the topic of abortion I find infuriating.