Beyond Female Consciousness to Connections Between Abortion and Motherhood

As a writer, I really enjoyed reading Judith Arcana’s piece. She explains what happened to her (motherhood, menopause) by describing the physical effects it had on her cervix, as well as the effects it had on her mind (writing books, giving talks). Her transparency and honesty is clever and refreshing. This level of comfort with one’s body seems to be a goal that many women strive for and never achieve.

She cites “the culture-wide practice of mother-blaming” (225). I can’t speak for other women my age, but in my personal experience, I have torn my mother to pieces with harsh words, unloving actions, and emotional distance, often denying the help she offers and explicitly identifying her own poor parenting practices. I know that I am not alone, so it seems quite difficult to change the general population’s attitude toward mothers when many daughters (and sons), those often closest to mothers, harbor negative sentiments toward their mothers for periods of time. The only way I can see this reality shifting is an increased amount of respect toward mothers for what they contribute to individuals and to society more broadly. In most cases, as one matures, this respect develops, but it should also be fostered early since every person is brought into this world by a mother and should value, not blame, mothers.

Arcana introduces a new term, “women of consciousness,” which is an interesting concept to consider. She writes that even women of consciousness neglect to discuss abortion and motherhood together. Consciousness is defined by the OED as “internal knowledge or conviction; knowledge as to which one has the testimony within oneself; esp. of one's own innocence, guilt, deficiencies, etc.” The term encompasses a degree of awareness of self (intrinsic knowledge) and awareness of how the external world operates and how the self contributes to and impacts a larger society/community. Arcana is suggesting that there is a stage beyond consciousness that should be achieved, one that allows individuals to recognize the interconnectedness of related concepts and how related concepts can be better connected through specific language choice. As she explains, the term baby (warm, caring language) is used when a pregnancy is intentional, while the terms fetus and embryo (cold, stark, impersonal language) are used when the connection between the child and the mother is forced or unintentional.

When a woman becomes pregnant, she is a mother and has some connection with the person growing within her. There seems to be a rumor that women who have abortions become pregnant carelessly and irresponsibly and give no consideration to the life of the child. Arcana dispels this rumor by writing that women do not make this decision lightly or without consideration of the numerous options she has. Arcana explains the roles she has had in motherhood, as a medical professional practicing abortion, as a pregnant women, a mother with a child, a woman with a miscarried child, a woman who aborted a child, and a sterilized woman. She has experienced motherhood from nearly all possible angles and can be an authoritative and respected voice on the subject. Through her abortion work, she has learned much about being a woman and a mother and is willing to share her personal experiences with readers.