Women's Abortion Experiences in Georgia

70 Pages·2017·0.81 MB·English

Georgia Southern University
Digital Commons@Georgia Southern
Electronic Theses and Dissertations Graduate Studies, Jack N. Averitt College of
Spring 2018
The "A" Word: Women's Abortion Experiences in Georgia
Kendra J. Cooper
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Recommended Citation
Cooper, Kendra J., "The "A" Word: Women's Abortion Experiences in Georgia" (2018).
Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 1722.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/etd/1722
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THE "A" WORD: WOMEN’S ABORTION EXPERIENCES IN GEORGIA
by
KENDRA COOPER
(Under the Direction of Jennifer Sweeney Tookes)
ABSTRACT
Abortion is a common medical procedure, with twenty-one percent of all American pregnancies
ending in induced abortion in 2011. Literature shows that abortion is highly stigmatized in the
United States and even more so in the American South. The contentious discourse surrounding
the moral and ethical viewpoints, “right” versus “wrong,” often overpowers women’s lived
experiences. Although abortion has been studied extensively across multiple disciplines,
literature on women’s lived experiences is limited. Previous research has focused on women in
the Midwest, West, and Northeastern regions of the United States but the South has not been a
significant focus of study. The purpose of this research is to provide an anthropological
perspective on abortion experiences and abortion stigma and to bring the experiences of women
to the front of the discussion. Eight qualitative interviews were conducted with women in
Georgia who have had abortions. Ultimately, I argue that abortion experiences are unique and
varying, and that abortion stigma is prevalent in the lives of the women interviewed.
INDEX WORDS: Thesis, Abortion, Stigma, Emotions, Abortion experience, Abortion stigma,
Georgia
THE "A" WORD: WOMEN’S ABORTION EXPERIENCES IN GEORGIA
by
KENDRA COOPER
B.A., Georgia Southern University, 2016
M.A., Georgia Southern University, 2018
A Thesis Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of Georgia Southern University in Partial
Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree
MASTER OF ARTS
STATESBORO, GEORGIA
©2018
KENDRA COOPER
All Rights Reserved
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THE "A" WORD: WOMEN’S ABORTION EXPERIENCES IN GEORGIA
by
KENDRA COOPER
Major Professor: Jennifer Sweeney Tookes
Committee: Heidi Altman
Clare Walsh
April Schueths
Electronic Version Approved:
May 2018
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DEDICATION
Kate, Paige, and Rose – thank you for teaching me how to listen and be pro-voice.
The courageous women throughout this thesis – I am honored that you chose to share your story
with me.
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This thesis would be incomplete without thanking those who helped make it possible.
First and foremost, I must thank my thesis advisor, Dr. Jennifer Sweeney Tookes, for making me
write a thesis in the first place. Your guidance and encouragement these past two years have
made me a better student, writer, and person. I would also like to thank my committee members,
Dr. Altman, Dr. Walsh, and Dr. Schueths, for their support and insight. Special thanks goes to
the faculty of the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at Georgia Southern, for believing
in me and this project even when I did not.
Thank you to my closest friends (Hannah, Katie, Savanna, and Aubrie) for sticking around and
putting up with me while I did this thing. I know I wasn’t always pleasant to be around.
To all the graduate students I share an office with (Alanna, Mpume, Ahmauri, Michael, Ernie,
Megan, and Katy): thank you for keeping me laughing. You guys kept me sane.
Thank you to my family (Mom, Dad, Hannah, and Nora) for supporting me every step of the
way.
Finally, thank you to my dog, Delilah, for knowing when I needed a cuddle and a tail wag.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS……………………………………………………………………..3
LIST OF TABLES…………………………………………………………………………….6
CHAPTER
1- A REVIEW OF THE
LITERATURE……………………………………………………………………7
Introduction……………………………………………………………….7
Roe v Wade (1973) and Doe v Bolton (1973)……………………………10
Pro-Life Movement……………………………………………………….11
Pro-Choice Movement……………………………………………………13
Christianity and Abortion………………………………………………....14
Availability of Abortion Access: Impacts of Legislation…………………15
Why Do Women Have Abortions………………………………………....17
Emotions…………………………………………………………………..18
Stigma……………………………………………………………………..19
Pro-Voice…………………………………………………………………..22
2- METHODS……….………………………………………………………………..24
Research Approval………………………………………………………....24
Study Population…………………………………………………………...24
Recruitment………………………………………………………………...26
Data Collection…………………………………………………………….27
Data Analysis………………………………………………………………27
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3- RESULTS AND DISCUSSION…………………………………………………...29
Surveys……………………………………………………………………..29
Interviews…………………………………………………………………..31
Discussion………………………………………………………………….32
4- CONCLUSION…………………………………………………………………….50
Limitations…………………………………………………………………51
Contributions to the Literature…………………………………………….51
REFERENCES………………………………………………………………………………...52
APPENDIX A…………………………………………………………………………………56
APPENDIX B…………………………………………………………………………………57
APPENDIX C…………………………………………………………………………………61
APPENDIX D…………………………………………………………………………………62
APPENDIX E…………………………………………………………………………………64
APPENDIX F…………………………………………………………………………………66
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LIST OF TABLES
Table 1…………………………………………………………………………………………..29
Table 2…………………………………………………………………………………………..31