Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1517916
21 Unity SUNDAY 24 MARCH 2024 Dr. Natalie Psaila M.Phil/Ph.D. Candidate Department of Gender Studies and Sexualities ABORTION is not an un- common occurrence. Nev- ertheless, women who have had abortions do not easi- ly speak about their expe- rience because they fear repercussions from those around them. According to the Guttmacher Institute (2022), around 3.4 pregnan- cies per 1000 ended in abor- tion in Europe. Meanwhile, an approximate 450 women in Malta have an abortion per year, despite an almost complete abortion ban. Some women travel to other countries, while others have their abortion locally illegal- ly using abortion pills. In 1968, Goffman concep- tualised stigma as a discred- itable or discrediting attrib- ute, behaviour or reputation. He described three kinds of stigma, namely – those which distort the personali- ty such as moral weakness- es, those that are associated with specific groups like reli- gion and race, and those sec- ondary to physical appear- ances. While stigma creates stereotypes and encourages discrimination, stigmatised people suffer a loss of status and power. A stigmatising character- istic does not need to be visible. In fact, people who have had abortions are not immediately distinguishable to those around them, but nevertheless, they are still at risk of suffering stigma. The abortion moral conflict is an interplay of concepts around family, motherhood and fe- male sexuality. Society does not look kindly on those who refuse to give birth and opt to terminate a pregnan- cy, as they are seen as reject- ing their femininity. This essentialist view of femininity pervades throughout most cultures. On one hand, this perspec- tive dictates that a wom- an's natural destiny is pro- creating, while her instinct yearns to take care of the vulnerable. She is also intent on maintaining her femi- nine purity. These supposed qualities make her an inher- ent carer and bearer of chil- dren. On the other hand, the constructionist view con- siders the woman's various traits, roles, capacities and endeavours. Women having abortion exhibit bodily au- tonomy and challenge the essentialist sentiment. This defiance can fuel the cre- ation of labels and stereo- types. The notion of women being destined to become mothers is not a new concept. In her book on maternal sacrifice, Lowe (2016) outlines how the Greek harvest goddess, Demeter, sends the land and all its crops into a deep freeze, when her daughter is kidnapped. She only lift- ed this punishment when her daughter was returned. Diverging types of mother- hood are also explored in traditional children's sto- ries, like 'Cinderella' and 'Snow White'. A cruel step- mother is counterposed with a selfless mother who dies while giving birth. The maternal sacrifice frame- work dictates that a "good" mother will always place her present and future children at the centre of all her deci- sions. She will set aside her aspirations, needs and wants to ensure that her children receive the best possible op- portunities. Abortion goes contrary to the notion of maternal sacrifice, and thus is the ultimate denunciation of womanhood. Essentialist opinions with- in society drive abortion stigma, of which there are three types. Women carry "internalised stigma' from beliefs they hold about abor- tion, which fuels negative self-talk, resulting in possi- ble deleterious psychological consequences. People who have had abortions can al- so feel others' unfavourable views of them, leading them to experience 'felt stigma'. As a result, they hold back from disclosing the incident, even with their closest ones, for fear of being judged. Finally, some people al- so suffer 'enacted stigma', where others choose to di- rect verbal or physical or societal violence at them. Doctors and medical profes- sionals might shame those who have decided to have an abortion, and so women might refrain from speaking to their caring physicians, for fear of being shunned and shamed. In spite of the fact that abortion care is healthcare, abortion stigma is present even in countries which have decriminalised and legalised abortion. Reproductive jus- tice is anchored in human and reproductive rights and seeks to ensure that people are treated fairly. Abortion stigma is rooted in society's views arising from essential- ist belief frameworks. People subjected to abor- tion stigma are at risk of suffering from a variety of negative effects including psychological consequences and discrimination. Society must strive to uphold wom- en's right to access a health- care procedure without suf- fering from any stigma. References Goffman, E. (1968). Stigma: Notes on the management of spoiled identity. Simon and Schuster. Guttmacher Institute. (2022). Unintended pregnancy and abortion in Europe. https:// www.guttmacher.org/fact- sheet/unintended-pregnan- cy-and-abortion-europe Lowe, P. (2016). Reproduc- tive health and maternal sacrifice: Women, choice and responsibility. Palgrave Macmillan. The stigma of the abortion secret Dr Gottfried Catania Department of Psychology "I feel I never have time to relax" – "Life seems to have become like a race, always running from thing to the next, never catching up" – how many times have we heard, or even uttered our- selves, these phrases? Modern life seems to be a constant race against time, trying to meet deadlines, rush- ing from one thing to the next, and balancing work, family and home de- mands. I recently read on Facebook that the 40-hour week was conceived at a time when strict division of labour was the norm – one partner in a traditional family structure worked at a paid job for 40 hours, while the other partner took care of the home and family. Nowadays, with both partners in such families typically working, this means that 80 hours are being spent at the workplace, with the housework and family needs still needing to be taken care of over and above. The situation is even worse for persons living alone or with dependents. This situation leads to increased stress, with the possible accompanying physical and psychological complications. Technology has added an extra level of stress in most cases. While tech- nological advances have been great in enabling us to communicate with others all around the globe, and un- doubtedly proved invaluable to keep the economy afloat during the recent COVID-19 pandemic, the downside is that technology takes up so much of our time because of our need to feel constantly connected. Technol- ogy has enabled most jobs to be able to be carried out remotely, with the consequence that the distinction be- tween our work time and the rest of our lives have become increasingly blurred. Technology has also created a culture where immediate responses to requests are expected – many of us check our work emails when back at home, and are expected to answer out mobile phones if the manager calls outside of office hours. Indeed, I am writing this article on my laptop on a Sunday – the one day a week I am expected to be resting from my em- ployment! This expectation has come to be known as the 'always-on' culture, implying that many workers are not able to switch off from work and en- joy the rest of their lives. It has long been known that rest and recovery are important for one's physical and psychological health, so this situation must necessarily be having an effect. Indeed, a recent study by Ljuba Bel- kin found that instead of an increase in efficiency, looking at afterhours emails can actually decrease job per- formance. Other reported effects of this culture, which seems to be pro- moted in most workplaces, include burnout, increased conflict between work and the rest of one's life, and conflict with one's loved ones. The result of the need for immedi- ate responses brought about by tech- nology has also resulted in everything looking urgent – we seem to be rush- ing from one situation to the next, with little time to stop and think about strategy, priorities, goals, and what we wish from life – arguably much more important than meeting the next deadline. Life expectations also factor in- to the equation. Is it really worth working 60-hour weeks for 50 weeks of the year, so that you can afford a two-week holiday once a year in an exotic place? What will your young children appreciate more later in life – the fact that you worked three jobs so that you could buy them expensive toys, or the time you spent with them playing with the cheaper ones which you could afford because you worked less? The solution – not easy, mind you – is to take steps to regain control over your life, and achieve a better balance between your work and the rest of your life. These are some suggestions: • Battle the 'always on' cul- ture by 'switching off'. Create times and spaces to physically switch off your mobile phone, if at all possible. Do not access technology at all – no Facebook, Instagram, or X – and no looking at work emails. This will be difficult, requiring a lot of self-disci- pline – but the results will be more than worth the effort; • Spend quality time with your loved ones, doing things togeth- er that you all enjoy – and make sure that work and technology do not en- croach on these times; • Invest time in what you en- joy doing – a hobby, going to the the- atre, sports. Set goals for yourselves are work to achieve them. Have you always wanted to run the marathon, take up painting, or learn how to dance? – go ahead and do so! Finally, remember that a better work-life balance, in the long run, re- sults in benefits in both the life and work domains. This will help you en- joy life more, be healthier, and also increase your productivity at work – a win-win situation of ever there was one! Stress and work-life balance