A Forgotten Emergency

"The Forgotten Emergency" uses scans of objects associated with unsafe abortions—like pennyroyal, rose hips, crochet hooks, knitting needles, cut glass salt and pepper shakers, thorns, and wire coat hangers—to highlight a crisis that continues today. While the world has made progress reducing many causes of maternal deaths, unsafe abortion remains largely overlooked and neglected. Every eight minutes, a woman dies from complications of an unsafe abortion—deaths that could be almost completely prevented. This work builds on my interest in feminist storytelling and ethical engagement with forgotten or ignored histories, encouraging viewers to see and acknowledge a reality we too often avoid.