Using TikTok to teach about abortion: combatting stigma and miseducation in the United States and beyond
Jessica Duggan
Abstract
There is a great deal of misinformation and stigma surrounding abortion, even though it is a common reproductive health service. Teaching about abortion encompasses many things: managing the beliefs of students and teachers; state regulations around teaching or talking about abortion in schools; available resources; and the cultural miseducation and stigma around abortion. As social media becomes more accessible and widely used, educators can use it as a tool for teaching sensitive issues and navigating some of the restrictions and difficulties teaching about abortion comes with. This article explores current considerations and issues around abortion education and how TikTok can be used to teach this sensitive topic both inside and outside of the classroom, especially with adolescents and young adults. With its 1 billion monthly active users, TikTok is a potential educational space for teaching about abortion by spreading accurate information, engaging the audience, and working to open lines of communication to combat abortion stigma