Abortion Quote by Marilyn French
“The real motivation of the campaign to criminalize abortion is to establish the principles that women's bodies belong to the state and that women bear the responsibility for sex.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Women's Room by Marilyn French, 1977
The quote argues that anti‑abortion efforts aim to control women's bodies by assigning ownership to the state and responsibility for sexuality to women.
In simple terms: Anti‑abortion seeks state control over women's bodies.
Key Takeaway
Recognize and challenge narratives that strip autonomy.
Themes
women's rights
body autonomy
political power
gender oppression
Mood
critical
analytical
Type
political
feminist
When to use this quote
- legislative debates
- healthcare policy
- activism
- public discourse
Key Concepts
feminist theory
legal control
social engineering
Questions to Reflect On
- How does state control over bodies affect personal freedom?
- What alternative narratives exist?
A Different Perspective
The claim may oversimplify diverse motivations behind the movement.
![“Most women do not have [abortions] with some sort of party going on. It is the hardest decision that a woman ever has to make . . . One of the reasons we've had to make this decision is because so many women were found bleeding, dead, with hangers in their bodies because they were doing it…” quote by Whoopi Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/7ee/whoopi-goldberg-3323_abortion_most-women-do-not-have-abortions-with-so_2229840.jpg)
