Commentary

This short article explores the history of ‘grrrl’ zines and its link to feminism. I explain the thought processes involved in the creation of my own Wellcome funded graphic zine, which was inspired by the Freebirth Study.

This article explores the concept of obstetric violence. It focusses on obstetric violence that is structural, normalised and unintentional. In addition, by using an example from the eighteenth century, it highlights how health carers have been challenging the abuse of pregnant women for centuries.

How important is it that pregnant women and people share their experiences of pregnancy and birth? This article explores the role of social media in challenging society’s dominant narratives.

What may people in the next century think of the way in which our maternity service responds to pregnancy and birth? Will they look back and question our accepted practice, like we do in relation to some of the Victorian standards of care? This article explores these questions.

AIMS asked me to write an article on freebirth and the sovereignty of the body. One of the things that I had noticed when researching The Freebirth Study was that women had to fight to exercise their legal right to not be touched. Health Care Professionals were in effect granting permission to women to exercise their rights to bodily integrity. So when women freebirth, are they truly free?