This glossary is being built one term at a time on Instagram. Check back soon for the completed glossary!

A is for Abortion

Intentionally ending a pregnancy using medications, procedures, and/or herbal protocols. An abortion is considered “complete” once all the pregnancy tissue is released from the uterus.

Pregnancies are ended for many reasons, using different methods, and at different points in pregnancy. For some people, the word abortion can be triggering and not everyone who is ending a pregnancy will use it to speak about their experience.

This doesn’t mean abortion is a bad word. What’s most important is that everyone has the space and agency to use the language that works for them when speaking about their own experience.

A is for Abortion Doula

Someone who provides emotional and practical support before, during, and/or after abortions. This support will look different depending on the doula, their skills, and areas of focus.

Doula support of any kind is unregulated in Canada, which means the title of doula isn’t a protected one based on specific training, there isn’t an order or organization that governs or accredits doulas, and the type of care provided isn’t limited to those who call themselves “doulas”.

It’s important to know that unregulated doesn’t mean unskilled or dangerous. Roles that are regulated are typically part of a provincial or territorial act that specifies only those with specific education may use the title and/or perform “controlled” or “regulated” actions connected to that title*.

Part of why doulas remain unregulated is because much of the support we provide involves skills that can be acquired in many different ways and that don’t require a specific training path to be safely provided. The actions doulas typically take are also more often acts of care that cant be limited to a given title.

All this means that each doula can define their role and support in their own unique way. While this usually includes some form of emotional and practical support, they may focus more on one form of support or type of abortion. They may also not call themselves a “doula” but something else! Some examples include an abortion worker, companion, navigator, care worker.

*In Ontario these are outlined in the Regulated Health Professions Act.

A is for Anti-abortion

Describes being against abortion.

While it is common for many people to use the term “pro-life”, it’s actually a stigmatizing and misleading term if what we mean to say is that the person is against abortion. It’s also language that anti-abortion groups want you to use.

Refusing to use language that is weaponized against people who have abortions is an important step toward destigmatizing abortion.

Some people who are anti-abortion are against abortion regardless of the situation and circumstances of the pregnancy, but some will name specific “exceptions” in which they see abortion as “valid”. This can create a false hierarchy of “acceptable” and “unacceptable” abortions that is ultimately rooted in trying to control someone else’s body and experience.

If the words “People shouldn’t have abortions except/unless/but” are ones that you ever find yourself saying, I invite you to reflect on what you’re really trying to say and where it’s coming from.

Do you mean that you wouldn’t have an abortion except/unless/but? That you don’t understand or know what’s involved? That abortion makes you uncomfortable? It’s okay if any of these are true for you, but imposing these arbitrary limits and opinions on others is a form of violence.