When adolescents decide to have an abortion: gender challenges in pregnancy termination

Abstract

The central point of this work is to analyze abortion in adolescence from a gender perspective, arguing that social, cultural, and institutional constructs are mechanisms for regulating reproductive autonomy. Based on the work of Scott, Lamas, Butler, Laurentiis, Lagarde, and Segato, it is argued that the category of gender wields power, organizing meanings, identities, and practices that influence the decision to terminate a pregnancy. Furthermore, the tensions that emerge between social norms, legal frameworks, stigmas, and access to sexual and reproductive health services are highlighted, especially in contexts of inequality experienced by adolescents. Finally, the performativity of gender and the role of institutions in reproducing patriarchal control over bodies are emphasized, concluding that adolescent abortion is situated within a field of political and symbolic dispute regarding the rights to autonomy and social justice.