GSS Project

</style> <img src=https://i.imgur.com/L8jzvVu.png style="max-width: 50%; height: auto;"> <h1 style="text-align: center; font-weight: bold;">Breaking the Silence: Overcoming Abortion Stigma and Finding Strength</h1> <h4 style="text-align: center;">A game written and produced by Nick Hovsmith '23, Alex Briones '23, Andrew Simon '24 and Brook Mesfin '23 for Princeton's GSS 211: The Sociology of Human Reproduction taught by Professor Elizabeth M. Armstrong.</h4> </div> Instructions: Click on the red text to advance the story. Press (text-colour:red)[[start]] to begin.

</style> <img src=https://i.imgur.com/mpxxJnh.jpg style="max-width: 100%; height: auto;"> </div> You stare at the pregnancy test in your hand, feeling like the world is spinning around you. Two pink lines stare back at you, indicating what you never thought would happen - you're pregnant. You can feel your heart popping out of your chest - what should you do? At this moment, various different reasons are running through your mind that, unbeknownst to you, are extremely common and shared among women in similar situations: Do you tell Jeff, the prospective father? If you tell him will he stay and help raise the child? How can you and Jeff even afford to raise a child at this moment in time? What about your college plans and ability to graduate on time? Pregnancy would completely disrupt your current semester and also your part-time job as a waitress? Should you get an abortion? Can you even get an abortion in your home state? Do you tell your parents, and how would your parents even react to this news? How do you overcome the widespread negative stigma surrounding abortion that is pervasive in your small town? You decide to consult Sophie. (text-colour:red)[[Click Here to Consult Sophie]]

</style> <img src=https://i.imgur.com/60awrNR.jpg style="max-width: 50%; height: auto;"> </div> It is the year 2023. You are a lower-class American college-aged woman in your early 20s living at home with your parents in a conservative rural town within the 'Bible Belt.' You never had a formal sex education and are not on a birth control pill because your parents have always told you it is wrong and goes against their values. In a casual relationship, you've been 'seeing' a local firefighter named Jeff for the past few months. Your period is 2 weeks late, and you think you might be pregnant. Worried and unsure what to do, you ask one of your closest female friends, Sophie, for advice. Sophie suggests you purchase a home pregnancy test from a local pharmacy. You are scared that when you go to the pharmacy, someone will notice you purchasing the test and inform your parents, who are extremely religious and strict. Thus, you decide to drive over 25 miles to a distant town to visit their drugstore where no one will recognize you. (text-colour:red)[[Click Here to go to the Pharmacy]]

</style> <img src=https://i.imgur.com/is4z73Q.jpg style="max-width: 100%; height: auto; text-align:center";> </div> After a long drive, you finally get there. Nervously, you walk into the pharmacy and avoid eye contact with the store clerk. Making your way to the family planning section, you quickly grab the cheapest home pregnancy test you can find. As you head to the counter to checkout, you notice the store clerk staring at you with a disapproving gaze. "Are you sure you need that?" he says. Knowing that the store clerk is judging you, you feel extremely uncomfortable. Mustering up your strength and courage, you try to stand up for yourself. Quivering with emotion, you mutter, "Yes I do need it. It's none of your business." The clerk rolls his eyes and scans the pregnancy test. "Whatever you say," he mutters, clearly unconvinced. You leave the store feeling humiliated and ashamed. As you drive home, you try and remind yourself that your worth and journey are not defined by the opinions of others. Alas, you make it home and take the test. After 15 minutes pass, the results are in. (text-colour:red)[[Click Here to View the Test Results]]

Sophie reassures you everything will be alright and is one of the few people who understands the negative stigma surrounding abortion and how removing protections for abortion violates your right autonomy over your own body. Sophie is also quite informed about the current political climate in your home state because of her passion for reproductive justice and fighting against barriers to abortion access. Sophie also volunteers at one of the few Planned Parenthood clinics in your home state. First, she tells you to consider if abortion is the right option for you? Based on her knowledge and experience working at Planned Parenthood she tells you: "Abortion is common, and people have abortions for many different reasons. Only you know what’s best for you, but good information and support can help you make the decision that's best for your own health and well-being" (Planned Parenthood). Because you never had a formal sex education - Sophie recommends doing some research and points you towards some resources such as (link: "Planned Parenthood's website")[(open-url: 'https://www.plannedparenthood.org/')], the (link: "Guttmacher Institute")[(open-url: 'https://www.guttmacher.org/')], and the (link: "National Abortion Federation")[(open-url: 'https://prochoice.org/')]. There you can learn more about your options and the realities of abortion, such as the fact that it is a safe medical procedure and “the real risk of death from an abortion is stastitically 0%” (Lecture 14). Upon conducting your own research, it becomes evident to you that you and other women have their own unique and valid reasons for choosing to have an abortion. The decision to end a pregnancy is often influenced by a multitude of factors, including: * "They want to be the best parent possible to the kids they already have. * They’re not ready to be a parent yet. * It’s not a good time in their life to have a baby. * They want to finish school, focus on work, or achieve other goals before having a baby. * They’re not in a relationship with someone they want to have a baby with. * They’re in an abusive relationship or were sexually assaulted. * The pregnancy is dangerous or bad for their health. * The fetus won’t survive the pregnancy or will suffer after birth. * They just don’t want to be a parent." (Planned Parenthood). (text-colour:red)[[Click Here to Continue]]

</style> <img src=https://i.imgur.com/yp4nakn.jpg style="max-width: 100%; height: auto;"> </div> Sophie also informs you about the changing attitudes and laws on abortion throughout the 20th century, noting that the legalization of abortion in the United States in 1973 through the landmark Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade has been a contentious issue ever since. With the overturning of Roe v. Wade, states now have the power to regulate abortion as they see fit, and many conservative states have implemented significant restrictions on access to the procedure. Sophie then breaks the news that due to the recent changes in your home state's abortion laws, you would have to travel to a state that does not restrict abortion access. This would be financially and emotionally taxing, but luckily it is an option available to you. You also learn from Sophie that contraception matters for both women and men, as unintended pregnancies can impact both partners' lives, but women tend to bear the brunt of the responsibility and consequences due to societal expectations and the physical implications of pregnancy. (text-colour:red)[[Click Here to Weigh Your Options]]

</style> <img src=https://i.imgur.com/OioeZNq.png style="max-width: 100%; height: auto;"> </div> As you weigh your options, you decide to tell Jeff about your pregnancy. He seems shocked at first and tells you he is unsure about what the best course of action is. However, he reassures you that whatever you decide to do with your body, he will support you 100%. After discussing your options together, you decide to seek an abortion as you feel it is the best decision for you at this point in your life. You confide in Sophie about your decision, and she helps you navigate the process of traveling to another state for the procedure. (text-colour:red)[[Travel with Sophie]]

</style> <img src=https://i.imgur.com/qYNkjy0.jpg style="max-width: 100%; height: auto;"> </div> It is a difficult and emotional journey, but you are grateful for her support and understanding. After a few hours, you reach the Planned Parenthood in another state. As you approach the door, you're greeted by a group of protestors holding signs with graphic images and shouting at you to turn back. You try to ignore them and keep walking, but their words and stares feel like daggers. After a short walk that felt like forever, you make inside. Once inside, you meet other women in the waiting room going through the same process. You also find solace in the fact that you are not alone – many women face similar challenges and make the difficult decision to have an abortion for various personal reasons. The procedure is succesful and you go back home. (text-colour:red)[[Travel Home]]

</style> <img src=https://i.imgur.com/7pDw7GH.jpg style="max-width: 100%; height: auto;"> </div> The stigma surrounding abortion remains prevalent in your community, but you learn that there is a growing movement of people advocating for reproductive rights and fighting against barriers to abortion access. By sharing your story, you hope to contribute to destigmatizing abortion and help other women in similar situations feel less alone and more supported in their choices. (text-colour:red)[[Click Here]]