My Body My Life
What was the challenge?
Although one in three British women will have an abortion during their lifetime, abortion remains controversial and stigmatised. Recent Open University research has shown that women can experience feelings of isolation and shame as a result of this stigma. In response, leading academics from the University of Oxford and the Open University wanted to find a way to normalise experiences of abortion and challenge stigma through capturing and sharing women’s stories.
What did we do?
We created a travelling pop-up installation designed to look like a fashion boutique with a brand identity that would connect with predominantly young women. In the shop, abortion experiences were brought to life through a clothing range featuring printed text of women’s stories, a film booth styled as a changing room and striking in-store graphics.
Launched at Edinburgh Fringe in 2017, the installation then moved to Oxford, Belfast and London, inviting the wider public to reflect on and even contribute their own experiences pertaining to the near-200,000 abortions that take place in the UK every year.
What was the impact?
My Body My Life opened up the topic of abortion to the public in venues across the UK as well as in France, and got people talking. It was credited with creating an inviting and safe space in which people could speak openly about their experiences and listen without prejudice.
The project also provided crucial access to impartial information to help people make clearer decisions about abortion. The feedback and storytelling aspect of the installation meant that a large body of research was collected and passed on to relevant healthcare organisations to provide a better service for those considering abortion.
My Body My Life earned two research awards in recognition of its work in tackling abortion-related stigma:
University of Oxford, O2RB Excellence in Impact Awards 2018 – Highly Commended (April 2018)
The Open University, Outstanding Impact of Research on Society and Prosperity Award – Runner up (July 2018)
