(Mis)information, Knowledge and Policies in Latinas’ Experiences of Abortion

• In Event: Variations in Abortion Access and Perception

Abstract

The ability to obtain an abortion - and the perception of the procedure's availability - is intrinsically linked to women's knowledge. Knowing the location of clinics offering the procedure, understanding the laws in place that influence the various steps necessary to obtain it, and accessing information to make the best decisions for one's individual situation all influence the perception and experience of access to abortion. However, access to information is far from guaranteed or universal. Indeed, accessing information requires minimal knowledge of the procedure, as well as nearby resources or digital literacy to conduct online searches. In addition, there is the issue of understanding the information: is it available only in English or are reliable translations available? Is the language used accessible or does the use of overly technical terms hinder understanding of the procedure? Far from being guaranteed, access to understandable, digestible, truthful, and trusted information is a barrier to accessing care (Jerman et al., 2017; Homaifar et al., 2017; Kavanaugh et al., 2019). Even more, this information cannot be detached from the socio-cultural and socio-political context in which it is produced. As legislative debates multiply and new laws framing reproductive health are passed each year, information about abortion access is no longer strictly medical, but increasingly political. Building on extensive fieldwork conducted in four US states, this paper offers an analysis of how language, knowledge and access to information impact how Latina women perceive and experience their access to abortion in a pre and post-Dobbs world. Divided in three parts, this paper offers a deeper understanding of the impacts of state and federal laws on reproductive rights. It first delves into how we access information, both in-person and online, focusing on sex-ed programs and online literacy as variables influencing knowledge accessibility and comprehension. In so doing, it highlights the role of online misinformation in Spanish and taboo on how information is disseminated and obtained. Second, it focuses on language and translation as important tools to curb limited access to information. Lastly, it analyzes the political dimension of reproductive health care and how words used in pre and post-Dobbs America have an impact on how abortion access is constructed and viewed by Latina women. Access to reproductive health care is an issue that goes beyond the physical dimension of access. While mobility remains central to accessing or not accessing care, it only exists in relation to reproductive health information, which in turn is disseminated in a specific socio-cultural and socio-political context. Language, education, and political dynamics can all influence a person's ability to obtain the necessary information, decipher it, and determine what constitutes truthful and reliable information. This capacity is in turn critical to ensuring full and open access to reproductive health care.

Author

• Andreanne Bissonnette, Western Washington University