Abortion

Abortion is handled entirely through silence and secrecy, not care or choice. Once Wendla’s pregnancy is discovered, the adults’ immediate concern is that the matter be handled quietly, and without her knowledge, ensuring that she never understands what is being done to her or why. 

 

Wendla’s mother conspires with the doctor without Wendla’s consent, believing she is protecting her child while actually denying her agency and putting her at risk without her ever knowing. Wendla leans on the authority of her elders that she has been conditioned to trust rather than question. The procedure itself is not framed as a medical decision but as an act of erasure, an attempt to restore social order by eliminating any evidence of transgression. Wendla’s death exposes the lethal cost of prioritizing reputation over life.

 

Abortion is still one of the most polarizing issues globally, with access and legalization shaped by law, geography, class, and stigma. These tend to disproportionately affect young people and marginalized communities, and even in places where abortion is legal, cultural shame often overwrites any discussion that might be had.