Found Objects #20: Footprints, an abortion story

A new 28-page graphic memoir about abortion.

Hello everyone,

Today is Thanksgiving in the United States. For everyone who celebrates this holiday, I hope that you all are enjoying the day with family and friends. I am grateful for many things this year, including: my partner and family, good friends, my job, our new house, and soon, our new dog! (Yes, we are in the process of adopting a dog. We have an interview on Saturday, so wish us luck!)

I am also grateful for the abortion I got in 2021. Sometimes you can do everything “right” and shit still happens. Despite taking Plan B, I was 33 when I got pregnant after a condom broke. Even though I could have cared for a child, that was not the path I wanted to take. Luckily, I lived in a state and time where I received efficient care from empathetic medical professionals. I also had full support from my family and friends. If I were denied this choice, I probably wouldn’t have met my partner, I would not have my job, I would not have this amazing house, and I certainly would not be in the process of adopting a dog. (I have always been a cat person, so the fact that I’m even considering a dog is wild right now!)

The cover of my latest comic.

It may seem strange that I’m writing about abortion on Thanksgiving, but there are a few reasons why I chose to spend all of my free time making this comic in the past few weeks:

1. I drafted this comic earlier this year, but when Trump won the U.S. Presidential election, it fueled my motivation to finish the story. Even though the majority of U.S. citizens support reproductive rights, I am worried about further damage that will occur in a new Trump Administration.

2. I will be speaking on the panel, “Political Activism Comics” at the Massachusetts Independent Comics Expo (MICE) on December 8th at 3 PM. I was surprised that the organizers asked me to join this panel, since my work is mostly autobiographical, and not necessarily political. However, I believe that life and work is not separate for most artists, and voicing our political beliefs will naturally occur, whether it’s outright or in a subtle manner. (Also, I am on this panel with several famous cartoonists, including Keith Knight, who has his own Hulu Series, “Woke.” Talk about imposter syndrome!)

3. Lastly, I assigned a “Protest Zine” in one of my illustration classes earlier this fall, and I was inspired by my students’ stories. They researched and crafted narratives about complicated topics that exposed their own vulnerabilities. Sometimes I forget that telling personal stories, especially about topics that are associated with stigma, is still a radical act.

Here’s a 3-second timelapse of my zine.

The first page.

Center spread of the zine.

My story, “Footprints,” is a 28-page graphic memoir that focuses solely on my abortion experience. Since I began crafting this story and talking about it with other cartoonists, I’ve heard a range of stories and seen a few other abortion comics, including a story by my friend Laura Catherine Brown in the World War 3 illustrated anthology, My Body Our Rights. (If you’re interested, here’s a link to the anthology on Amazon, although I’m sure it’s available at some independent book stores.) A few years ago, I also enjoyed reading Leslie Stein’s book, I Know You Rider, published by Drawn & Quarterly in 2020.

I will be bringing ten copies of my story to MICE on December 7th and 8th, and if you are around, please come see my panel! I am also selling copies in my Etsy shop if you are interested. (I will ship them in two weeks.)

Thanks for reading and supporting my work! Now, back to celebrating Thanksgiving. :)