Before the following scene, the main character Maeve is heckled by two young members of an anti-abortion group. They intend to create a feeling of shame and guilt strong enough to dissuade Maeve from getting her abortion. Maeve enters the abortion clinic holding onto these complicated feelings as well as some level of fear.

The scene continues to show the shame and fear that consumes this medical space, but also shows the kindness and empathy that helps Maeve get through the experience. As seen from the comments on this video, this episode of Sex Education is cherished for showing the experience of getting an abortion in a realistic and nuanced way. 

The shame surrounding abortion is also shown coming from the medical community. Sarah, who is getting an abortion at the same time as Maeve has been to this same clinic before for to get an abortion. Someone working in the clinic says to her, “Maybe there will be a chocolate [pudding] the next time you’re here, Sarah.” This medical professional is painting Sarah’s choice to get an abortion as an innate moral failure which is bound to happen again.

One of the most powerful things about Sex Education’s depiction of abortion is the way that support changes the experience for Maeve. Sarah says to Maeve, “Don’t worry love, I’ve got three kids and I feel way more guilty about the ones that I had than the ones I chose not to. It’s better not being a mom at all than being a bad one.” Maeve is able to console Sarah and tell her that her kids really love her. Then, leaving the clinic, Maeve sees that Otis waited for her to drive her home and even got her flowers. Both of these acts of kindness allowed Maeve to not feel like she was making the wrong decision in terminating her pregnancy.

While this episode is cherished as one of the best depictions of abortion in mainstream pop culture, Maeve’s story doesn’t give the full picture. For one, I have only ever seen in-clinic abortions depicted in television. The reality is that a large percentage of abortions are completed by taking a series of two pills at home. The in-person abortion makes for a more dramatic scene in a show, but it leaves you thinking that is everyone’s experience. 

Another lens worth considering is abortion access based on location, class, and race. Maeve’s experience was as simple as contacting the clinic and making an appointment. The clinic appeared to be in town, and Maeve had a friend willing to help with travel. Imagining a similar situation in Oklahoma, a young woman would have to search for abortion clinics across state borders. Without the right resources this could prove to be impossible for a young student. We also don’t see much financial discussion of Maeve’s abortion. In the United States, an abortion can cost anywhere from 750 to 1500 dollars depending on your insurance and how far you are into your pregrancy. Maeve, in her financial situation, likely would not have been able to afford this procedure in the United States. It is also worth thinking about Maeve’s position as a white woman in this show. Having seen countless stories about the struggles of being a person of color in a healthcare system built for white people, we can imagine that Maeve’s experience would have been different if she wasn’t white. For one, her fear may have increased exponentially being operated on by a team of mostly white doctors and nurses. She also may have experienced a greater travel barrier in getting to an abortion clinic as medical facilities are more frequent and better funded in areas with historically privileged families. Also, the medical advice given to her may have aligned better with the research that had previously been done on white bodies.

I believe that this scene is overall a positive representation of an abortion experience for a young person in high school. We see the pain and sadness, the shame and secrecy, and the moments of support and kindness. We may not see the full picture of what it means to get an abortion around the world for people with varying levels of privilege, but that isn’t what Sex Education is trying to do in this episode. ‘Sex Ed’ does a great job of displaying different types of people and their stories; in this episode they are telling the story of Maeve. In the lens of contemporary social justice centered media, this is a great perspective to consider. This remains true as long as you remember that this isn’t everyone’s experience with abortion and actively seek out other perspectives.

https://www.plannedparenthood.org/learn/abortion/considering-abortion

https://www.axios.com/2022/06/25/abortion-illegal-7-states-more-bans-coming