The Social Construction of Abortion

81 Pages·2017·1.56 MB·English

by  Alexis Lora Ruffin

VViirrggiinniiaa CCoommmmoonnwweeaalltthh UUnniivveerrssiittyy
VVCCUU SScchhoollaarrss CCoommppaassss
Theses and Dissertations Graduate School
1992
TThhee SSoocciiaall CCoonnssttrruuccttiioonn ooff AAbboorrttiioonn
Alexis Lora Ruffin
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Collegoef H umanitiaensd S ciences
VirginCioam monwealtUhn iversity
Thisi st oc ertitfhya tt het hesipsr eparebdy AlexiLso raR uffin
entitlTehde S ociCao/n strucotfiA obno rtihoansb eena pprovebdy her
committeaes s atisfactcoormyp letioofnt het hesirse quiremefnotr
thed egreoef M asteorf S cience.
JuditBh. B radforPdh,. D.C,o mmitteMee mber
StepheGn raduatSet udies
se A. Marolla, PCho.mDm.i,t teMee mber
ChairD,e partmenotf S ociology/Anthropology
h. . Dean,C ollegoef H umanitiaensd S ciences
�/ O,dqc2J
)
Date
TheS ociCaoln struocfAt bioornt ion
A thessiusbt mtieidnp artfiulaiflle lnmotf t he
reuqiermenftostr h dee rgeoef M astoefrS cience
att hVei grinCioam mnowealUtnhie vrsity
By
AlexLiosrR au ffin
B.A.V,i grianC iommnowealUtnihv ers1i89t7y ,
DierctoDri:a nSacl ulPyh,. D.
AssociPartoeefs sor
DepartomfeS notc iolanodgA yn tohprology
VigrinCioam mownealUtnhie vrsity
Richm,oV nigdrinia
Decemb1e99r2
DEDICTAION
Thitsh esiisdse i dcadt teom ys istKearr,eM na riReuf fin.
ACKNOWLEDGEMETNS
My thanmkusts f irgsott o m ym otheKrae,rn, w ihtouwth omt heinsd aevowro ulndo t
have bpeoesbnsl ieH.e rg racaen di ntleecltfuotarilt uidnte h feca eo fh ardshhaivpe
madmee w haIta mt odaTyh.e u ncondictoinofniadloe fnm cyge r andfaGtehoerrg,e
Ruffinh,a msa dael tlh hea rwdo rmka nagleea.b
Iw oulldie k toa cknowlDeadvgieFd r anfkosrs harihnilgso voef s coiol.o gMyy
commtitemee mbehrasv gei vemne mumcohr et hatnh ekyn ow.J oseMpahr olla
itnrodumceet dos ocial psaysac nhu onldoegryg raadnudta rtaen shliaetsne tudhis assmo
thoourghtlhyaI ct a rirwtyi tmhe t od.aJ yudByr aodrfgd avaes enosfec onsisatnedn cy
inetgrittot yhp er jocetI.t hahnekfr o hre wra remn couragaenmdfeo rns tpa ekifnorgt he
reosnpdenMtysa .p prieactitoon Dianag oSectsuo hl elfryo hr elpmien,ga sw elals
manoyt heirnfs i,n dmiynv go itcher ohugeuhrn afltecroimngm itmteofn emti ni.s m
ScoAtdta mdse sersvpeesca icanklo wledgmHeesn etr.v aesed m phactriictf ireicn,ad n d
soundgi bnoa,ra dnd nmevisesrea dc hantcoae r guagea idnuaslti .s mfIi nsdt renignt h
youfrai hti nm e.
PhilSizpe nwaass p articguelnaerrlwoyiu tshh i tsmi ea ndt echnaiscsails taMnyc e.
indeedbnteaslss mou setxe tndt om yf amilfyre,in dasn,d c oworkfeorrts h egiern tle
humora nde ncouragement.
11
TabloefC ontents
LisotfT ables . IV
Abstract . V
ChpateIr I tnr uodc tion
Stateomeftn htPe r oblem I
Sginiicfanocfte h Per oblem 6
ChaptIeIr LiteratRuervei ew
HitsoroyfR eforMmo veme.n t. . . . . . . . . 9. . . . . . . . . . . .
.
ThereP erscpteiv.e .s . . . . . . . . . I.I . . . . . . . . .
.
Feminsti . . . . . . . . . . .. .. 1 2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
.
Trdaitiona.l.ist 14
. . . . .
PopulaCtoinotnr ol 16
ChaptIeIr IT hoeretiFcraalmo erwk 18
ChaptIeVr Methodology
Samp.le. . 23
.
Intsrume.n.t 26
.
Pre-t.es.t. 27
.
HumanS ubejcPtr octteio.n . 28
. .
IdnependVeanrti able.s . . . .. 29
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
DependVeanrti ables. . . . . .. 31
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Scale.s. ..... . . . . . . ............ .. .. .. ..34
Hyoptheses 36
. .
DatAan laysis . . . .. .. 37
. . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . .
ChaptVe r Resu.lt.s . . . . . .................. . . .3.8. . .
.
HyoptheDsiecssu ssion 46
. . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
ChaptVeIr Discuss.i o.n . . . . . . . . . ... 4 .8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
.
Respontd'Ceson mmen.t s . . . . . . . ... 5 .1 . . . . . . . . . . . . .
LimaittioonfSs t ud..y . . . . . . . . ... 5 2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SuggestfiooFrn ust euR researc.h . . . . . 53
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Bibglriaophy 56
. .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. . . . .. . . .. . . .
AppenAd ix Questieo nn.a i.r . . . . . . . ... 6. 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
.
AppenBd ix IndoefxT rdaitiona.l i.s m. . . . . . ...7 1. . . . . . . . . . .
.
Appnedxi C HumanR eseaPracnheL le tt.e. r . . . . . .. .7.3 . . . . . . . .
Viat .... .......... . . . .7.4. . .
111
LisotfT ables
Table
4.1 SeelctBeadc kgroVuanrdi ab.l..e..s . . . . . . ... 2.5 . . . . . .
4.2 DistribouftI inocdnait Roers ponses
withIidnne pendVeanrti aDbilmee ns.i o.n . . . ... .3 0. . . . . . .
4.3 DitsribuotfRi eosnp onosnte hse
AbortAitotni tSucdae.ls e . . . . . . . . .. ..3 3. . . . . . . . . . . .
4.4 ScaMleea nasn dR eliabMielaistuyr.e .s . . 35
5.1 CorrelabteitowneIsen nd epenVdaernita bles 39
5.2 DistriobfuR teisopno ndienn tFso rced
DichotowmiitIehns d epenVdaernitaD bimleen si.o n. . .. ..3 . 9 .
5.3 Croasbsutlatwiiotcnhhs- i,s quare,
betweIennd epenVdaernitaD bimleen sio.n s. . . . .. ..4 1. . . . .
5.4 AbortAitotni tbuydI ensd epenVdaernitaD bimleen si.on.s 43
5.5 LegiattiAemu thobryiI tnyd epenVdaernitaD bilmee nsions 44
5.6 T-teRsetssu lDtisc;h oteodIm nidzependent
VariawbilteAhsb ortainodIn n ofrmV aria.b l.e .s . . ... 4 .5 . . .
5.7 CorrelabteitowneIsen nd epenVdaernita bles
andD ependVeanrti a.b l.e .s . . . . . . . .. .. 4 .6 . . . . . . . . . .
IV
Absatcrt
The essseonctiioat-lip cqoaullei staiboonr triaoinsi ests w oofl:d withwihno se
legittepi rmoaviinstc heae b ortdieocni stiobo emn a daen dw haatr teh sea lient
fatcorisnd eteirnmgi snubseqrueoeslnutt ioovneasrc cesTsh.ea nswesrpse atko
percteipoonfls e gmiattaieu thto,ywr ihicahrfe u ndametnott haselo cicaoln struction
ofa botri.o n
Thed siparlatiteer atounar beo rtwiaosen x anmeidt od evelaot py poloofg y
perstpievcesa boornt. i Tohneorfirmeo sf emintis scoiolaongdsy o cipasly chology
wereem pleodty oe xamitnheie m apcatb ortaicocnea snsdt hseu ebqsuennte gotiation
ovelre gitteai umtahohraivtoeyn t hseo cioarld eTrh.eu ndyerigln hypothoefts hiiss
reseairstch haa tb ortiisso onc liyca olnscttretudh rocuoghme ptnigp erstpiev'ce s
denleiatoifoa nu thtoyrT.ih repee rscpteivoenas b ortwieornce u llefdr mo the
ltieratounar beo rtriiognth otc sr eaatnie n doefxa ttitFuedmeisn:Ti rsaitdt,i o,a nnadl
PopulaCtoinootnlr .C ouplinign dtwehixit ashm easuorfae t tittuodweasr d access to
legaablo rtainodanm easuorfte h e consoifgl nemgeinttetai umtahotrowi otmye ,na n
overtaylplo loofag byo rtaitotni twuadshe ysop thzeesdiT.h er eseaqrucehs taito ns
hanwde re1:)D o a ttitcuodneecrnsi nagb ortaicocnes susp paonri tn doefxa ttitudes;
FeminTirsatd,i tainodPn oaplu laCtoitnorn;oa lnd,t of urtchoenrs ttrhutecy tp golyo,
2)w heerd oeesa cphe rstpievlceo cattheae u thotromi atkyte h aeb ortdieocni sion?
Thisst uwdaysd esigneexdp eltt oohr dee ifniiotonf a botri,oa nsd enleiated
abovbey,m ena ndw omeenn teraidnutghl ooudn delrie braliazbeodr tion and
contracleapwtsiI.vno e r dteoru ncovtehsreo cicaoln struocfat biooornnt, ti hisstu dy
focuesdo nt haeu dieonftc here h etodreibcaaotlve ea rb otri,oi nsnteoafdt haec tivists
asi sd onienm osotft hleei rtatounra eb ortaittotunid eAs s.e ven qpuaegset ionnaire
wasa dminstierteoad n opnrobialybis tampcloen sisotf3i 9n7ug n edrgradsutautdee nts
ata l arge publuniicv eruisrnibt tahSyneo uthaenads tw uassef dor e xoprlatiinotno
thseo cicaoln struocfat biotorin.o n
TheF emintia sndP opulaCtoinootnldr miensiwoenrsee x epctteodr emseble
eacoht hoenrt haeb ortaitotni tmuedaessub ruedt,fi frew iht respteocl te gmiattie
authiot.ry Conveyr,st ehTler datiionaandlP opulaCtoinotnrd moiel nsiwoenrse
expectepde rtfoos rimma irlloynt hlee gitteai umtahority mdefaifseuorrn e , but
attitaubdoeust atcolc eegsaasbl o ornt.i Additliloiyntw,aa sp osattueltdh apte rsonal
experiweintachbe o rthiaotsnh eef fteo cfm akionngem oreem pathaendt,ic ,
therefmoorrese,u pporotfli evgeaa blot ri.o Tnhee xpectpeadt toefrr ne spontsote hse
abortaitotni taunddle esgm iattaieu thomreiatsyu wreersce o nfirmfeodtr w oo ft he
thered mienssi;oFn emniitas ndT rdaiiton.a TlheP opulaCtoitnornod lmi ensifoalnie d
toc orrewliahtte ei thdeepre ndveanrtli eaFb.i nlaliyat,p peatrhsat th istsu wdays not
ablteoc apturie nlfauneynt cheae txe priewnicteah b ortmiiognhh atv oen o nes'
attittuodweaasrb do rtaiceocsn.s
ChaptIe r
INTRODUCTION
Statemoeftn htPe r oblem
Competpienrgsc pteivoenas b ortuiitoleniv zastdlfiefyr eindte oloagnide s
assumpttiodo enfsia nbeot ri.o nAne xhaussteiavroecft h h leti eratounar beo rtion
accersesv eatlheeredd itsinpcetr specotnai bvoteris:o f neminti,tsr daiiton,aa lnd
populactoinot.nr T ohlirse seahrycpho tehset shiatzthv ea ripoeurssc pteivoens
abortaicocned sfisfr ef undamaelnltinyt hpee rceilvoecda toifto hnae u thotromi atkye
thaeb ortdiecoiinso .n Thelt ieratounar beo rtaicocne ss stuhgawgtie tshttishn e
femintip serstpievtceha eu thotromi atkyte h aeb ortdieocni srieosniw diehts t he
inidvuiadwlo ma.n Fort rdaitionraeillgiisotausns,df amilails truecsat ruterh deo main
fotrh aeb ortdieocni .s iFoinnlaypl,o pulactoinotnard ovlo caltoecsat thele e gmiattie
authofroiartb yo rtaicocnea snsdp oliwciytt hh set ateR.e pruocdticvoen tirso l
fundametnowt oamle na'ust ono(mDya l1y79 3.) Conqsueeyn,twl omeanr ree nedred
repruocdtimvioenr tsh routghheha rnessainndcg o -opotfit ohnreg ieneraptoiwveer s
byt hper eaviilnsgo cisayelsm t.W ome'nssu bordpionsaittei moainna tiidns ie na
systwehmee r womeanr per imialrrye fertroae nddd efinbeydt hrep iotential
chdiblearainndtg h rer ielasthiitoponm en( Keli1n8 91C;o re1a89 6O;v earl1l9 78.)
Thea bortdieobna tmea niryne gaerxdespm liieftsh dei ffernig idinetfiaonnds
apprhoeatsco c hanggienngd reorl e(sLu ke1r89 4.) Botahb ortoipopno neanntds
abortriiognah dtvso caatceksn owltehdaagtbe o rtoipotni eonnasb wloem etno r eframe
2
thsee xupaoll iwthiiccsshe rtvoem aintpaaitnr iaprrceehnsatla toifso enxsiu tatlyh,e
familayn dm otherh(oPoedt ch1e99s0)k.y
Fri(e9d18 ,8 i)ne xanmiign tshyem oblci natouftr heae b ortdieobna stueg,g ests
thatthp ee rstpievceasc toifvo ifbs ottpshr co-hoiacneda nti-cphoosiicteair oneno st
poloaprp otseisR.a thtehre,dy if fefrun damaelnlatnydi nn aturTeh.ii ssi n pwahryt
thearpep eatrobs en op lausciobmlper ombiyas cet ivoinis dteso loggriocuanoldr s
wiht respteoca tb ortaicocnep sosl iicsys uLeusk.e( r91 84t)o foni dtsh aatc tivists
diffeirn w orlpde rstpievceCso.n du(i19t90 f)u rtshuegrg etshtatsth s et rugogvleer
threh etodreiifcntaiiloo nfa bortuinodne rtlhideee sb amtoer teh aanp proovra l
opposittoai bootnri on.
Abortrigiohnta sd vocaptreesst ehnet iisnts eureom fsc ivliielbr tainedsp ersonal
automnyo.E mphaisspi lsca ed woonm e'nsre pruocdtirgvihet wso,m e'nsbo dily
inetgtryia,n dt hceo ntorfoo ln' esbo dayn dl eic fourse.p otTehnemt oitahlie sr
consriedtde ob eb esetq upiepdt oe valuaantdde e terhmiecnrae p iatctyoc arar y
pregnatnotc eyr. m fIantc ,s omfee imntis(s Rcih1 797D;w ork1i89n3 M;a cKinonn
1897t)a kteh peo sittihoaantb ortiisaol nei /fdeiasstuhbe u tth awto mesnh ould have
comeptlseo vereoivgentrth yeb iord iaensdp regnasntcasyt. e
Opponeonfat bso rtfirmoaent haeb ortdieocni saiso noo nfle ei a fnd dmeurr
(Brenn1a89n3 )O.f tetnh eairrg umefnotrres s itcrtaibnogr taicocne ss rest on
religaisosuusm ptaibootunthsp e r imactyh feoa fim layn dc oncepatsti hobeneg inning
ofm eaniunlhg ufmna lei( fHraris1o89n3 L;u ke1r89 4;N ei1t9z9 1.) Thep rimary
actionrt h'erp o-lei'sf cenairsti hofe e uts.T hea ssumpitsti hoawnto mesnh ould
3
servef ettuhsbe'e s itne tresStusp.op secdo nfloific nettrse sshto ulrde sboel ivnte hde
potencthidia'llfsav o(r aPtter1s79o4)n.
A thipredr speocnta ibvoer taicocnec sosm efsrm o thpeo pulactoinotnr ol
esbtlahimesntT.h ee mphaisnit shc iosn tiesoxn tl miiitnpgo pulagtrioowngt lho lblay.
Reducibnitgrh r ateisns, o mcea saets acnoys tissp, r im.a Irssyueosfi nofrmed
consaenndtt hhee alatnhdb odiliyne tgriotfwy o meanr see condaan,rda ys H artman
(1897r)e vaelsar,e somettriemaatesesi d mp eidmenttsot hgeo aolfw orldwide
populactoinot.nr I otnlernatfiamoinlpayll a nnaignegn cwiheiscr he cefiuvned ing
frmo thUen eidtS tatiencs o,m pliwaintcfhune dgi gnuidelines, uanraeb tlcoeu rrently
provaibdoer taiboonr,tc ioounn seolrir enefgr,rf aolar b otri.o nThirsea liitsay
relfectoifto hnRe e ag,aa nndn owB usahd,m instira'tsais osnaounla tb ortriiognh ts
andi sn octo nsiwsittewhnh tai tsc o ndseiretdob ea c omprehefnamsiilpvyle a nning
agendRaa.c iasntdc lasismpiilscta teixotina sssa m eanosfa dvocaatbionrgt ion
accessosl eflotyrh peu prosoefp opulactoinot.nr A oblortriiognh ts anids sues
popula"tuqialoyin"t c ont,ro orel ugenaigcesn dhaasv,e ,ba enedn curarreeon,ft tleyn
conlfatiend mtehdei aan d abnyt i-cahcotiicvei sts.
Conotlrlitnhcgeo nstruacntddi itosrni butkinoonw loefid sog neeo ft hper imary
wayisn w hicehxt iisnpgo wesrt rucmtuarienstt ahiceno nuteidn iialtbtyo' dienfteh e
situa'at nidmo onledx perireaenltiita(ileBe rsg aenrd L uckm1a69n6 .) Int hUen ited
Stattehspe,r imaarnydm ospte rvapsoiwveer strtuhcpeta utrrceih aairlsml oyd eled
ditsribuotfci oonnot .lr Inc oncesretx,is semr vteoss u ppaonrdt perpaent uate
ideoltohgayt presmuaplppero ismeasac nydf emalseu bordi(nHautbiboa1rn89d 3 ;