BODIES UNDER SIEGE

A thorough, alarmed delineation of threats to abortion rights around the world.

“My central claim—that the far right sees abortion bans as a way to reverse the so-called Great Replacement—is no longer confined to creepy natalist Telegram channels,” writes Norris. “It is spoken out loud by anti-abortion political leaders.” A British writer and reporter, she presents “an account of how the attacks on abortion rights in the Global North [are] part of a larger misogynist and white supremacist project of the far right.” The author codifies her arguments cleanly, beginning with a chapter titled “The Ideology: The Place of Women in Fascist Thought” and closing with “The Tipping Point: Which Future Do We Choose?” Due to the author’s direct-address approach, her first nonfiction book reads much like a lecture, e.g., “In the following pages, I will share with you…”; and “Think back to….” After a considered explication of how fascist theories, such as those fueling QAnon, endanger sexual and reproductive rights, Norris covers mainstream extremist politics, how the legal status of abortion is being threatened, and the far right’s attacks on LGBTQ+ rights. Regarding White women, specifically, the author writes, “the reality of being a revered body is that you are nothing more than a body—a reproductive vessel to exploit.” Norris makes the convincing case that politicians, including Trump, Orbán, and Putin, evoke “the fascist mythic past in order to attract a right-wing populist base.” Additionally, “the pressure pushing the elite towards the fascists is that same crisis facing capitalism: the demographic changes caused by aging populations threaten the economic stability of nations.” Throughout the text, the author’s position and call to action are urgent and unwavering.

A polemical exhortation that will appeal to readers interested in the criminalization and protection of abortion rights.