You or Someone You Love: Reflections from an Abortion Doula

Abortion doula Matthews normalizes abortion experiences in her compassionate, affirming debut. She opens by describing her own abortion, including her decision process leading up to it, the medical care she received, and the complex knot of emotions she experienced (of the procedure itself, with her partner and clinic colleagues beside her: “I feel so many frightening, ugly, sharp-edged, hollow things, in these last moments of my pregnancy. But I don’t feel alone”). The author assesses abortion from various perspectives, with mixed results: a strong section positions abortion as a form of “reproductive justice” and highlights the need for readily available “tools of reproductive power,” such as sex education and birth control; elsewhere, a discussion of abortion and sex suggests that “unintended pregnancy is not a weakness or a moral failing” but only superficially asks readers to consider how their sex lives might change if pregnancy choices were met with acceptance. Matthews is at her best when assessing ways to support those considering or recovering from an abortion (food, flowers, or a letter, “even if you’re afraid of being cheesy”) and when she leans into the messy, sometimes-contradictory emotions that often get left out of the abortion discussion. Readers looking to support loved ones or offer themselves grace will find Matthews a wise guide. (May)