Abortion Decisions as Humanizing Acts: The Application of Ambivalent Sexism and Objectification to Women-Centered Anti-Abortion Rhetoric

IF 2.5 2区心理学 Q2 PSYCHOLOGY, MULTIDISCIPLINARY Psychology of Women Quarterly Pub Date : 2023-05-17 DOI:10.1177/03616843231173673

R. L. Dyer, Olivia R. Checkalski, S. Gervais

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引用次数: 1

Abstract

Women-centered anti-abortion rhetoric, grounded in ostensibly positive beliefs that pregnant people are precious objects who must be protected from having abortions, has proliferated anti-abortion activism and legislation. However, abortion stigma, marked by negative perceptions of people who terminate pregnancies, is the most widely used theoretical tool for understanding the social and psychological implications of abortion. In this article, we first integrate these two seemingly contradictory perspectives on abortion through the lens of ambivalent sexism theory. We then argue that ambivalent sexism paves the way for objectifying perceptions and treatment of pregnant people; specifically, our typology of reproductive objectification provides a tool for exploring how the abortion decision-making of pregnant people is undermined. Through this lens, abortion decisions can represent a subversion of these portrayals and treatment by affirming people who seek and have abortions as whole human beings. Throughout, we aim to counter White supremacy and cisheteropatriarchy, which have marked public discourse and psychological research on abortion. Finally, using this reproductive objectification framework, recommendations for clinicians and researchers are provided.

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作为人性化行为的堕胎决定:矛盾的性别歧视和物化在以女性为中心的反堕胎修辞中的应用

以妇女为中心的反堕胎言论，基于表面上积极的信念，即怀孕的人是珍贵的东西，必须受到保护，不允许堕胎，已经催生了反堕胎活动和立法。然而，堕胎污名是理解堕胎的社会和心理影响的最广泛使用的理论工具，其特征是对终止妊娠者的负面看法。在这篇文章中，我们首先通过矛盾性别歧视理论的视角，将这两种看似矛盾的堕胎观点整合起来。然后我们认为，矛盾的性别歧视为客观看待和对待孕妇铺平了道路;具体来说，我们的生殖物化类型学为探索孕妇的堕胎决策是如何被破坏的提供了一个工具。从这个角度来看，堕胎的决定可以通过肯定寻求和堕胎的人作为一个完整的人来颠覆这些描述和治疗。在整个过程中，我们的目标是反对白人至上主义和异性恋父权制，这标志着堕胎的公共话语和心理研究。最后，利用这一生殖物化框架，为临床医生和研究人员提供了建议。

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来源期刊

Psychology of Women Quarterly Multiple-

CiteScore

6.10

自引率

5.00%

发文量

期刊介绍： Psychology of Women Quarterly (PWQ) is a feminist, scientific, peer-reviewed journal that publishes empirical research, critical reviews and theoretical articles that advance a field of inquiry, teaching briefs, and invited book reviews related to the psychology of women and gender. Topics include (but are not limited to) feminist approaches, methodologies, and critiques; violence against women; body image and objectification; sexism, stereotyping, and discrimination; intersectionality of gender with other social locations (such as age, ability status, class, ethnicity, race, and sexual orientation); international concerns; lifespan development and change; physical and mental well being; therapeutic interventions; sexuality; social activism; and career development. This journal will be of interest to clinicians, faculty, and researchers in all psychology disciplines, as well as those interested in the sociology of gender, women’s studies, interpersonal violence, ethnic and multicultural studies, social advocates, policy makers, and teacher education.