Reproductive Politics in Media

From UBC Wiki

Reproductive Politics

Reproductive politics encompasses the struggle of establishing a mutual consent over what the correct methods of dealing with planned or unplanned pregnancies. In simple words, it is an endless battle between the pro-abortionists and “pro-life’s” (Latimer 4). Reproductive politics is an extremely debatable topic that offers endless controversies that has no right answer to as of today.

reproductive politics

Reproductive Politics and Media

However, the relationship between reproductive politics and media is largely significant. Media plays a crucial role in how individuals of the general public formulates their opinions on the matter based on their exposure to a certain type of media. It is a huge factor that contributes to the participants of reproductive politics and their opinions on the much controversial topic.

Mainstream versus Educational

Mainstream and Educational media are the two main categorical players in media that determine a person’s pro-abortion or pro-life life stance. Both categories are able to influence people in different quantities and their opinions.

Mainstream

Mainstream media - especially movies, television shows, and books - are more often “pro-life” contributors because they have capitalistic motives and a target audience. As a result, the structure of the plot for any movie or novel makes it necessary for anti-abortion portrayal because pro-life standpoints should be a quality that any heroic figure should have because it is deemed by society’s standards to be what a righteous, good person is. In addition as Oliver states, Hollywood tends to romanticize pregnancy and the moment of birth where the decision to keep the baby in most cases become worth it, however it does not showcase the struggle of motherhood that follows afterwards. This is exactly the heroic protagonist that the audience of mainstream media are looking for as well. With this is mind, the massive popularity of mainstream media has the highest influence on the general public because mainstream media is easily accessible. Capitalism is also responsible to the reason why for instance Hollywood movies are less likely to produce films that are pro-abortion.  Any Hollywood movie who dares portray a protagonist's abortion will always be faced with discontent from anti-abortionists - thus could potentially be extremely detrimental for ratings and profit.  Therefore, it is inevitable for mainstream media to desire to avoid pro-abortion content in their products.   This has also been the case as mentioned in Latimer's book where she uses examples like Knocked Up (Apotow, 2007) and Juno (Reitman 2007).  Evidently, this showcases the fear mainstream media has over reproductive politics and how  it is not ideal to risk the support of the general public because they are heavily dependent on positive popularity.  Since target audience influences the content mainstream media portrays, it’s pro-life ideologies have huge impacts on people’s opinion regarding reproductive politics. As Latimer states, mainstream media "helps produce them(reproductive politics)" by "shaping and influencing how these politics are UNDERSTOOD popularly and culturally" (Latimer, 11).

theatrical release poster

Educational

On the other hand, other mediums of media such as news reports, documentaries, and non-fictions have more of an educational incentive in comparison to a profit centered one. It is much easier to portray pro-abortion aspects with less of a burden to the audience for example in CBC’s videos of interviewing abortion specialists. This interview was able to raise awareness for aborting for the right reasons and how pro-abortionists can also be victimized by the general public for being sinners or murderers. It was able to showcase the dangers abortion doctors could go through due to reproductive politics even though being an abortion doctor is their legitimate profession. These insights from educational motivated media provides more of a well rounded viewpoint and it is not as biased as mainstream media is towards the pro-life side. The educational sources of media are less fearful of the controversy reproduction politics has to offer and are able to give a better representation of all perspectives.

Conclusion: Media the shaper of reproductive politics

Following Latimer’s quote that was mentioned above, perhaps media is the reason why reproductive politics is so large in size today. Abortion controversies will exist small scale nonetheless, however for reproductive issues to become so political requires the strength of multimedia. Media is a medium for the spread of ideas, thoughts, and experiences. With the general public’s constant exposure to media nowadays through mobile devices, accessibility increases - causing people to be constantly and easily on any platform of media. According to CNN reports, the average time a teen spends on media is nine hours. With this in knowledge, it is without a doubt that media is a huge influence on a person’s thoughts and beliefs and it allows them to “understand [these politics] popularly and culturally” (Latimer). Nowadays regardless of gender, an individual can have no experience directly with reproduction, however they are still able to formulate a personal opinion on the matter based on what media has shaped their understanding. These opinions can be so passionate and close to the heart despite not actually experiencing it, and that is the power of media has on reproductive politics.

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