Tribeca Documentary 'Hollywood Does Abortion' Examines How Film and TV Depictions May Have Undermined the Pro-Choice Movement
By
Brent Lang
The kind of bagel that ruins lesser bagels for you.
Summary
A new Tribeca documentary titled 'Hollywood Does Abortion' argues that Hollywood portrayals of abortion in popular media — from 'Maude' (1972) to 'Dirty Dancing,' 'Party of Five,' and 'Sex and the City' — have paradoxically hurt the pro-choice movement. The film contends that while these depictions brought abortion into public conversation, they often framed it as a difficult, shameful, or tragic choice, reinforcing stigma rather than normalizing it as a routine medical procedure. The documentary examines how even progressive-leaning entertainment has shaped public perception of abortion in ways that may have undermined reproductive rights advocacy.
Key quotes
· 5 pulledWe did the
Maude Findlay, a 47-year-old woman living in suburban New York with her fourth husband found herself unexpectedly pregnant.
It was a year before Roe vs. Wade was passed, and like many women in America, Maude wasn't interested in having another child and found herself weighing an abortion.
The dilemma played out over a two-episode arc of 'Maude,' a hit CBS sitcom that was produced by Norman Lear, who was no stranger to taking on hot button issues.
But even Lear struggled to get this story on the air.
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