A review by amaniesami
Comics for Choice: Illustrated Abortion Stories, History, and Politics by Ally Shwed, Sarah Crowe, Steph Kraft Sheley, Leah Hayes, Bree Jordan, Kris Louis, Hallie Jay Pope, Lindsay Rodriguez, Julia Krase, Mallory McMaster, Sharon Rimann, Laura Martin, M.J. Flores, Laura Lannes, Mick Moran, Kennedy Tarrell, Kriota Willberg, Andrew Carl, Claudia E. Berger, Lilly Taing, O.K. Fox, Yamani Hernandez, Rachel Hays, Samantha Romero, C.B. Hart, Vreni, Jennifer Camper, Michelle Kinsey Bruns, Hazel Newlevant, Cynthia Greenlee, Kendra Josie Kirkpatrick, Benita Ulisano, Anna Sellheim, Wren Chavers, Sarah Mirk, Whit Taylor, Heidi Williamson, Erin Lux, Stephanie Rodriguez, Jaz Malone, Emily Lady, Katie Brown, Kat Fajardo, Tatiana Gill, Brittany Mostiller, Lucy Haslam, Katie Fricas, Sophia Foster-Dimino, Rickie Solinger, Tanya DePass, Ahmara Smith, Anise Simon, Cathy Camper, Anna Bongiovanni, Sage Coffey, Rachel Wilson, Nomi Kane, Gianna Meola, Renee Bracey, Rachel Merrill, Daniela Diaz

5.0

Done entirely in black and white, this graphic non-fiction almost seems to draw more attention to the content than the art work, which is sometimes unusual to think of when reading a graphic novel. But in a way this work also can say so much more through pictures than with words, especially for issues like reproductive justice. It was delightful to see a mentioning of Colorado and its 2009 experiment whereby the state offered long-lasting birth control for free to teens and low-income women. The successes in declined teen pregnancies and abortions, as well as the millions saved in Medicaid costs, are important for our civil rights and proving that providing care (instead of taking away) is always the best approach to our social issues. There is this tension throughout the pieces in this anthology that marks the intersections of lived realities for women, and the constant threat of imposing political and religious control over our bodies. One piece even criticizes the internal issues of the pro-choice movement, which shows that this is not an outward project only. What I appreciated most about this collection, though, is the fact that it was widely representative of the experiences of women and non-gender conforming individuals, as the issues we face here are not limited to only one type of body. Race, sex, class, and religion are all themes that are intricately explored here in people’s own voices, which makes it easier to read and connect with. One piece toward the middle of the book recalls how “it’s always easy to take away people’s rights if you demonize them. Demonize them, dehumanize them, and take them out of the conversation.” In this way, the work is a reclamation act, one that calls forth the voices of women and their experiences in all their varied forms.