Marisol's story: Culture, family, self, and the decision to get an abortion

Abstract

This paper presents and analyzes the narrative of a Puerto Rican woman who aborted a pregnancy in 1992. Her story illustrates themes central to traditional Puerto Rican family life: interdependence, respect, sexual shame, and male dominance. While Marisol deeply regrets her abortion, and the need to keep it secret from her family, her experience served as a moral passage to a new way of thinking about herself and about family life. She remains committed to Puerto Rican familial interdependence, yet she favors open discussion of sexual matters within the family and respect for personal decision-making about reproductive matters. She is working to maintain an “open” relationship with her two daughters. While she rejects the gender inequality that is part of her culture, she does not reject her culture. The narrative is presented in Marisol's voice, with analytical comments by the author.