Reproductive Rights. A study of pro-choice activists in times of anti-gender ideology in Poland

Abstract

Reproductive rights are an immanent part of human rights. In this thesis, I have conducted seven semi-structured interviews with Polish pro-choice and pro-abortion activists. Through the lens of multiple methods including interviews, participant observation, reflexivity, analysis of online and offline data I addressed questions on the activists’ perception of their roles and their assessment of the legal status of abortion in Poland. The participants’ narrative exposed their conditions of activism in times of anti-gender ideology and the undertaken strategies against
current abortion law. Intending to produce that result, I analyzed the stories told by the activists of pro-choice movement drawing on Foucault’s approach to power relations, the meaning of citizenship in the view of feminist scholars, and social movement theory. Although the activists talked about their obstacles in many ways, I find that they turned out to unanimously accuse politicians, the Catholic Church, and anti-choice organizations supporting restrictive abortion rights. Activists present themselves as stigmatized, unheard, frustrated, angry but also full of
hope for coming changes. They describe a danger and risk related to pro-choice activism for legal and social perspectives. I find that scattered strategies and the diversity of activists are the strength of the movement. However, the main key to change is their unification and cooperation across divisions.

Popular Abstract

The attempts to restrict the abortion law in Poland in 2016, brought an emergence of a new feminist movement concentrated on reproductive rights and access to abortion. This movement became recognizable internationally through the Black Protests and the massive Polish Women’s Strike that took place in October 2016. The pro-choice activists prevented the total abortion ban but the reproductive rights in Poland are still uncertain and under political, ideological, and religious influence. While right-wing nationalist power and fundamentalist Catholicism oppose the activists by acts of stigmatization, legal charges, slander, and threats,
the feminist mobilization and resistance are enduring. To learn more about how is their situation and what struggle they experience, I have interviewed seven pro-choice and pro-abortion activists engaged in the resistance and fight for abortion rights.
This paper examines the activists’ opinions, fears, hopes, activities, emotions related to it, and strategies of resistance. I aimed to learn about the specifics of the movement in times of antigender ideology and possible legal charges for help in abortion. Ultimately, the study has been designed to increase knowledge about pro-choice activism in contemporary Poland.
The interviews indicated that current abortion law in Poland is not respected, the abortion and reproductive rights are a bargaining chip for those in power, church, and fundamentalists. Moreover, activists described the conditions of their actions and their treatment. The stories and approaches of the interviewed activists varied from each other in a sense of place of occupation, background, profession, and experience. However, the findings showed that activists should cooperate in order to implement changes and enforce their convictions. Their strength is in solidarity and actual diversity.

• author: Gutowska, Zuzanna Ewa
• supervisor: Sebastien Tutenges
• organization: Graduate School; Master of Science in Social Studies of Gender
• course: SIMV21 20201
• year: 2020
• type: H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
• subject: Social Sciences
• keywords: reproductive rights, abortion, activism, social movements, hard-to-reach population, Polish Women’s Strike, pro-choice
• language: English
• id: 9027451
• date added to LUP: 2020-09-01 10:43:39
• date last changed: 2020-09-01 10:43:39