Gretchen Sisson, PhD
Qualitative Sociologist, Advancing New Standards in Reproductive Health (ANSIRH)
Dr. Sisson's research focuses on social constructions of parenthood, specifically examining teen pregnancy and young parenthood, infertility and assisted reproductive technologies, and adoption and birth motherhood. Her current research with ANSIRH focuses on representations of abortion and reproductive decision-making in popular culture, including film and television. Dr. Sisson’s past work on reframing models of teen pregnancy prevention has been published in the Journal of Sexuality Research and Social Policy.
Education:
- Amherst College, Bachelor's Degree
- Boston College, Doctorate
In the news:
- Abortion stories on TV are getting less white, and more funny (op-ed) | InStyle
- "The Handmaid's Tale," "Black Mirror" and the bleak future of abortion on TV (op-ed) | Salon
- Shock, gore and more: "Unplanned" recycles timeworn tropes of anti-choice films (op-ed) | Rewire
- Hollywood and the matter-of-fact abortion | New York Times
- What Unplanned gets wrong about abortion, according to experts | Glamour
- The unsentimental abortion scene in "Shrill" isn't groundbreaking. Here's why that's a big deal | Washington Post
How the portrayal of abortion in TV and film has shifted since 1928 | Good Morning America - How to make an abortion joke | The Cut
- How TV gets abortion wrong | Teen Vogue
- On TV, women who have abortions are younger, whiter and wealthier | NPR
- What TV abortions get wrong--and how creators can do better | Glamour
- Your TV is lying to you about who has abortions | Vox
- From dramas like "Scandal" to documentaries like "Abortion: Stories Women Tell," the hot-button topics is evolving on TV | Los Angeles Times