Référence bibliographique [12016]
Sears, Shannon. 2012. «Birth Controlled: Reproductive Choice among Female Graduate Students in Montreal». Mémoire de maîtrise, Montréal, Université Concordia, Département de sociologie et d’anthropologie.
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Fiche synthèse
1. Objectifs
Intentions :
«In this thesis, I examine how women‘s reproductive decisions appear to reflect private and individual choice, but are in fact linked to larger public forces that shape and manage contraceptive options for women.» (p. 3)
Questions/Hypothèses :
«Specifically, I ask what are the ways that women are distanced from their fertility, and to what extent are they truly in control of their reproduction?» (p. 3)
2. Méthode
Échantillon/Matériau :
«Research was conducted through a variety of methods. First, multiple virtual and physical sites of information were examined, including websites, television advertisements, and published materials related to sexual health. Second, three medical professionals and a number of volunteers were interviewed about their perspectives and practices toward sexual education and reproductive health. Third, the methods and activities of a university sexual education volunteer group were observed and analyzed. Finally, eleven women were interviewed regarding their sexual education, history of contraceptive usage, and their perceptions of their fertility and birth control options. Ten of these women also participated in a brief contraceptive questionnaire.» (p. iii)
Type de traitement des données :
Analyse de contenu
3. Résumé
«Perhaps as expected, most of the women used contraception to avoid pregnancy. Seven out of nine of them also used the pill to ―’treat’ their periods, which seems to fit with the medical and cultural messages about ―’appropriate’ uses for the pill that I have discussed in previous chapters. Interestingly, very few of the women agreed that their reproductive choices were affected by outside influences - not by parents, partners, or even medical authorities.» (p. 122) «Birth control is a paradox: using hormonal contraceptives allows women to control their fertility (and prevent births), yet information about contraceptives is controlled such that women may not always have full knowledge of their options (and those options’ consequences). Hormonal contraceptives can mask women’s connection to their bodies, and without understanding their fertility on an intimate, personal level, women can become dependent on contraceptives in order to continue to avoid pregnancy. In this context, not only women’s choices, but women themselves are, to some extent, controlled.» (p. 135)