Comics for Choice

Comics for Choice

YA/adult graphic novel
"Comics for Choice was sparked by my outrage at the clinic
closures and suffocating restrictions on abortion rights in states
like Texas. It is not enough for abortion to remain technically
legal: it is a moral imperative for abortion care to be accessible to
all who need and want it. The right to abortion is the right to bodily
autonomy and to determine one's own life path.
Our aim with Comics for Choice was to create a book that would
educate readers about many facets of the history of abortion in
America, the incredible diversity of reasons people choose it, and
what we can do to protect this crucial right. We wanted to make a
book that would help our many readers who've had abortions feel
understood and supported."
Editors Hazel Newlevant, Whit Taylor, O. K. Fox, and the many
talented people who helped them flesh out their vision achieved their
objectives and then some. Comic artists teamed up with reproductive
justice experts to create dozens of succinct pieces that are highly
authentic and original while united around an important larger issue.
For instance:
*Do It Yourself Abortion Horror Stories provides a much needed
reminder that in the days before abortion was legal often an unwanted
pregnancy would result in two deaths: fetus and mother.
*My Voice, My Choice tells the story of a woman who gets pregnant
while struggling to raise three beloved daughters on a part time job
and realizes she can't afford another child at that time.
*Born and Forgotten exposes the restrictive rules such as options
counseling (including misinformation) and manditory waiting periods
that can make obtaining an abortion unnecessarily difficult and
painful (sometimes impossible) for a woman. I really appreciate the
line "Dang. I wish people worked this hard to protect living
children" because many of the most vocal antiabortion people are also
against funding programs that would help already born children get
food, shelter, and decent educations.
Whether you choose the narratives that most appeal to you or
devour the whole book as I did (warning: I was so engrossed I nearly
missed my bus stop) Comics for Choice is a very powerful read that
belongs in all public and college and university libraries. Words and
images are processed by different parts of the brain. The combination
of both is far more powerful than either alone. And the pictures are
worth gazillions of words in their ability to create real empathy.
I wish this book had been around when I had my abortion. It
would have saved me a lot of grief and guilt.
On a personal note, Valentines Day was amazing. It started off when I
woke up and discovered a lovely vase of flowers in the kitchen. At
UMaine there was a free pancake breakfast. Two plate size blueberry
pancakes topped with real maple syrup and whipped cream! School and
work went well. Eugene took me to Ruby Tuesdays for supper. On the
way back home we stopped at Goodwill and he got me a cat shirt and a
darling teddy bear. At home he gave me a card and put romantic music
on instead of his scary tv shows. That was a Valentines Day to
remember!
A great big shout out goes out to Eugene.
jules hathaway



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