My Mom Had an Abortion is a unique coming-of-age tale told by a self-described dyslexic-asexual-lesbian-feminist teenager and illustrated by body-positive comic artist Tatiana Gill. We follow our protagonist Beezus B. Murphy as she chronicles her evolving understanding of menstruation, reproduction, and abortion and finds her place in a confusing world. Initially influenced by harmful narratives in pop media such as the “the pregnant teenager” cliche, we watch Beezus’s ideas change as her body changes and as she learns more about the intricacies of her family history and her mom’s own reproductive experiences. She grows from a confused, out-of-place kid into a self-assured, empathetic, and strong-willed activist teen. As Beezus says, “People shouldn’t be shamed for getting or not getting abortions. Young people absorb the information that we gather from our surroundings. Sometimes it’s good information and other times it can be harmful. But now I realize abortion is perfectly normal and should be kept safe and legal.” Sprinkled with pop culture references, hilariously apt descriptions of unwanted body changes and menstruation like the chapter “Blood, Bath, and Beyond,” and instantly understandable revelations of growing-up, this beautifully illustrated short graphic novel crucially fills a cultural gap around complexities of abortion, pop culture, body changes, and finding out where we fit in.
Beezus B. Murphy, born 2004, is a Seattle based dyslexic, asexual, lesbian, feminist, writer, and activist. She lives in Seattle with her mother Shawna Murphy, father Christian Peetz, younger sister Minnow Murphy, three pugs, two Siamese cats, and one Chihuahua. Her hobbies include the creation and consumption of media, roller skating, and trying to keep up in school. Beezus struggled in school and didn’t learn how to read until she was 8 because of her learning disability, but her kindergarten teacher Jennifer Nieman always said that when she did the world would lose her to books. It did, in some ways, but Beezus was far more consumed in many worlds of her own creation. Thanks to the influence of a Christian-propaganda show disguising itself as a teen drama, put haphazardly on Netflix where anyone could find it, Beezus accidentally became anti-abortion for a few months. However, thanks to her pro-abortion feminist mom Shawna, she quickly recovered and sought to write a book about her journey.
Tatiana Gill is a Seattle cartoonist drawing about social and reproductive justice, mental health and addiction, and body positivity.Creating comic books for 25 years, her recent books include Wombgenda, Blackoutings, TheFat Positive Coloring Book, and Recovery. She contributes to publications across the world and has illustrated several books. Her work appears in galleries and exhibits around Seattle.Tatiana creates comics for a number of local organizations including Seattle/King County Health Department, Community Lunch, People’s Harm Reduction Alliance, and Shout Your Abortion. Find her online at @tatsgill on Instagram and Twitter, and tatianagill.com.
Shout Your Abortion is an organization working to normalize abortion through art, media, and community events across the US and beyond. My Mom Had an Abortion is SYA’s second book published with PM Press. SYA’s eponymously titled first book—a collection of stories, art, and a tool kit for action—currently sits in the waiting and recovery rooms of hundreds of abortion clinics all over the country. Learn more about SYA and get involved at ShoutYourAbortion.com.
Amelia Bonow is the cofounder of Shout Your Abortion, an organization working to normalize abortion through art, media, and community events all over the country. Bonow’s writing has appeared in The New Republic, BUST, and Salon, and in SYA’s self-titled book, which currently sits in the waiting and recovery rooms of nearly 300 abortion clinics. Bonow proudly serves on the Board of Directors of the Abortion Care Network and has been honored by Abortion Conversation Projects, the Webby Awards, and abortion clinics nationwide. Amelia wants everybody to talk about abortion and she believes that we are going to win.
