New York author and abortion doula, Carly Manes, recently released her crowd-funded children’s book entitled “What is an Abortion, Anyway?” The book purports to create a “medically accurate, non-judgmental, and gender-inclusive resource for young folks about abortion care.”
Funding for the book was done on the platform Kickstarter and Manes reached her goal of $10,000 in less than 35 hours. As the funds continued to roll in, the book’s potential influence was realized. In updates through Kickstarter, Manes encouraged donors, or “Abortion Book Backers,” to continue their support so to reach their second goal of sending 300 books to libraries. The campaign has 546 backers and has now doubled their original goal.
Manes seems to be addressing a gap in the market—parents searching for books portraying abortion as “just another continuation and outcome of a pregnancy.”
Funding started in May 2021, and books began to arrive to patrons in February, 2022. Manes seems to be addressing a gap in the market—parents searching for books portraying abortion as “just another continuation and outcome of a pregnancy.”
Studies show that 59% of women procuring abortions already have children. Addressing this topic in a childrens book allows parents a convienient and serene way to explain abortion to their children. As noted by Twitter commentators, the book, in reality, will explain the death of these children’s brothers and sisters as a “loving option.” A free copy of the book will be sent to every Planned Parenthood and abortion clinic in the United States through the support of the Kickstarter “Abortion Book Backers.”
Explaining this decision in an interview with Women’s Media Center, Manes noted how many times children have to accompany their mothers to the clinic. By placing a copy in the clinic waiting room, mothers will have the chance to read it to their children and paint the violent act of abortion in a casual, understanding light. Introducing abortion through this harmless medium is another step towards the normalization pro-abortion activists have been working towards for decades. The release of this book and the success it has found thusfar should serve as a warning sign for the pro-life movement. Decreasing the stigma of abortion at this young age will only further a culture that accepts abortion as the norm.
Decreasing the stigma of abortion at this young age will only further a culture that accepts abortion as the norm.
The diction used is telling as well. The words “pro-choice” and “rights” do not appear in the text, rather, according to Mane, “the book is really about just explaining a medical procedure that some people have in their lives, so we want to see it in libraries and in bookstores in the same section where you’d find children's books about pregnancy, children's books about sex and reproduction, and children's books about miscarriage.”
The importance of a child’s first exposure to abortion cannot be understated. Using a book like this, surrounding the words with floral patterns and portraying this violent procedure as just another possible result of pregnancy, will promote an acceptance of abortion in our youth. Furthermore, overcoming connotations of abortion with words like love and acceptance will be no easy task.
However ‘settled’ the issue of abortion appears to be, What is an Abortion, Anyways? has been met with pushback from bookstores. Manes attributed this fact due to abortions political nature even though it does not contain any political advocacy. Nonetheless, the goal is that this book finds itself in reach of as many children as possible. The growing positive portrayal of abortion, is imperative for its normalization. Illustrator Mar explained, “I was feeling really drawn to illustrating folks doing their everyday stuff, you know, so we have folks sitting in a field, or painting, or hanging out with family.” In an effort to normalize and minimize the stigma around abortion she wanted to paint abortion as folks just “living their lives and this experience is just a part of their lives.”
Nonetheless, the goal is that this book finds itself in reach of as many children as possible. The growing positive portrayal of abortion, is imperative for its normalization.
What does this mean for the pro-life side? What do we need to do to combat this growing normalization? Abortion is not just another part of life, it is not ‘all about love,’ and the pro-life movement cannot afford to be silent on this new battlefront of pro-abortion scheming.
Abortion is not just another part of life, it is not ‘all about love,’ and the pro-life movement cannot afford to be silent on this new battlefront of pro-abortion scheming.
Kylie Gallegos is a member of the ND Class of 2024 and serves as one of the Directors of Education for the 2022-2023 year. Reach out to her at kgalleg3@nd.edu