Belgian activist creates comic book on abortion choosing surprising setting
The issue of abortion in Poland has attracted the attention of activists from around the world. The struggle of Polish women for access to pregnancy termination pills and surgical abortion can be an inspiration. One such example is artist B. Carrot, who created a graphic novel telling the story of Polish teacher Magda.
Two lines on a pregnancy test are not always a desired outcome. Pregnancy resulting from rape, the mother's challenging financial, psychological, or physical condition, her age, or the level of support she receives can all lead to situations where childbirth is not desired. In Poland, access to abortion pills or medical abortion is virtually non-existent.
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The abortion compromise adopted in 1993 was nullified by the Law and Justice government, resulting in the deaths of several pregnant women who could not receive necessary medical help due to the legal changes. However, Polish women are not giving up. Instead, they are seeking assistance abroad from clinics, hospitals, and foundations providing abortion pills.
Belgian artist creates a comic book about abortion in Poland
The issue of access to abortion in Poland inspires both activists and artists. The artist B. Carrot decided to create a graphic novel that tells the story of Magda, a Polish teacher from Warsaw. Magda experiences an unwanted pregnancy and seeks help first in Poland and then abroad. The story is set during the tenure of the Law and Justice government. The comic is titled âUitwegâ, meaning âExitâ, and is priced at âŹ28.
The comic's protagonist, Magda, endures the torments of pregnancy. In one of the more powerful scenes, she hits her belly and tries to rip her body, verging on dysmorphophobia. She fears losing her job due to the pregnancy and lacks the funds for an abortion. Eventually, Magda finds help outside Poland, specifically in the Netherlands, where she turns to a women's organisation.
Is the author from Poland?
B. Carrot discussed âUitwegâ in an interview with âRMF FMâ: "It's a true story, or actually several true stories that I heard in Poland, while in Warsaw and Poznan, and I combined them. My great-grandparents came from Poland, hence my added interest and sentiment towards the country."
Ann Jossart, head of âOogachtendâ, the renowned comic book publishing house in Belgium that published âUitwegâ, added: "This is a universal story. It addresses a very important theme, emphasising that as a woman, you have the right to choose whether it is the right time for you to have a child. In Belgium, it is solely the woman's decision to terminate a pregnancy. The man's opinion does not matter."
Source: RMF FM
