Our Bodies Are Our Own: Connecting abortion and social policy

It has been 25 years since abortion was decriminalized by the Supreme Court of Canada in 1988, as the court struck down Section 251 of the Criminal Code of Canada, and abortion was made available for women to access without the consent of a doctor. This amendment to the Criminal Code of Canada was a significant step for women, who were granted autonomy in reproductive health decisions. While women are able to access abortion in Canada, pro-life advocates continue to attempt to limit reproductive options through anti-abortion legislation and advocacy. Through critical discourse analysis, Canadian pro-life discourse has been examined to understand the strategies used to limit women’s sexual health choices. This study has identified four themes, The Fetus has Rights, Abortion is Traumatic, Women are First and Foremost Mothers, and Women do not Really Need Abortion that are used to present a narrative about femininity, reproductive health choices, and abortion. Through understanding pro-life discourse and bringing abortion access into social policy, we can work to ensure that women continue to have access to abortion in Canada. Résum