When’s the last time you saw a movie or TV show with an abortion somewhere in the story? Was it when you saw Juno in 2007? Or watched the Sex & the City reboot last year?
According to researcher Steph Herold, it’s probably more recently than you think! Abortion shows up on our screens over and over each year, and it has since the earliest days of film & television.
She’s my guest for the final episode of the season. This one is a little lighter on the history, heavier on rehashing great TV shows and movies. (Okay, and some not-so-great ones that are fun to discuss, too.)
Steph is a social scientist who currently works as a researcher for the Abortion Onscreen program. She’s worked in clinics, too, and has been in the reproductive justice world since she was in college.
We discuss her research into how and why stories about abortion impact our perceptions and attitudes toward abortion. It’s not as simple as you might think! We’ll cover everything from ‘Sex & the City’ to 'Yellowstone,' ‘Knocked Up’ to 'BoJack Horseman'.
One important correction to make to my conversation: I refer to the longstanding statistic that one in three women has an abortion at some point in her life; today, that statistic has shifted closer to one in four.
And with that, my friends, Season One is a WRAP!
Yours with immense gratitude,
Carolyn
P.S. I never put up a paywall, because I wanted you to hear the show first! Now that the season is complete, please consider a subscription for this year—kinda like paying at the end of your meal. 🥘
Below are a couple more enticements to support Extra+Ordinary as I approach my final accounting session.
End of Season + Celebration Offers
It’s all the things! The end of the podcast’s first season! The start of the holiday season! The season for giving thanks! Black Friday! Giving Tuesday! Cyber Monday! Thirsty Thursday! Whatabout Wednesday!
1) A jus-y holiday deal: Cook the Comstock Act
This Thanksgiving, let's revel in the dream that we cook the Comstock Act's goose. Make mincemeat of that malarkey. Take the turkey down. For the next week, an annual subscription to Extra+Ordinary is 20% off!
If you needed a code—which you don’t—the code would be: turkeystock.
Becoming a Founding subscriber (yes, also for 20% less!) and get our extra+ordinary logo on the merch of your choosing (a shirt, tote, hat, or mug). 🎉
2) A wee bitty auction
I am auctioning off 3 amazing goodies as my own bizarro contribution to the annual madness of “Black Friday” and “Giving Tuesday.” This is when I’m making some important or simply overdue purchases and donations, and I bet some of you are too. Snag yourself or a loved one a very special gift, while supporting the Extra+Ordinary podcast. Send us off into the sunset of 2024 with a little change in our pockets, so we close the books in the black and not the red. Bidding ends next Friday!
Extraordinary links related to this episode
Where Are My Children? (early abortion movie)
The Defenders | ANSIRH (early abortion t.v.)
Abortion Storylines on TV Impact Viewers “Across All Political Leanings,” Study Finds
Shonda Rhimes' Shows Treated Abortion Matter-Of-Factly When Few Shows Did
Thank you to this season’s founders + paying subscribers!
Deborah P
Ron S — founding!
Eileen L — founding!
Chris B
Megan W
Nancy L — founding!
Stephen S
They’re extraordinary! Become one of them!
Closing Credits
- Host & Producer: Carolyn Silveira
- Theme music: Katrina Zemrak
- Cover art: Mauricio Diaz
About Us
Extra+Ordinary is a despair-free podcast about abortion & reproductive justice that looks to the past – to fuel our fight for the future.
Join host Carolyn Silveira, a writer and social justice advocate, for inspiring stories of the people and moments that changed history, giving women (and all people) more control over our bodies and lives. From an evangelical doctor who became an abortion provider to “nice housewives” who risked jail time to help other women, we’ll learn how ordinary people can do extraordinary things.
You can also find us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and iHeart and on Instagram.
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