Abstract
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | GeoHumanities and Health |
| Editors | Sarah Atkinson, Rachel Hunt |
| Publisher | Springer |
| Pages | 175-190 |
| Number of pages | 16 |
| ISBN (Electronic) | 9783030214067 |
| ISBN (Print) | 9783030214050 |
| Publication status | Published - 2020 |
Publication series
| Name | Global Perspectives on Health Geography |
|---|---|
| Publisher | Springer |
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Keywords
- Symphysiotomy
- Ireland
- Obstetrics
- Medical Practice
Cite this
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Truth or dare: women, politics, and the symphysiotomy scandal. / Walsh, Oonagh.
GeoHumanities and Health. ed. / Sarah Atkinson; Rachel Hunt. Springer, 2020. p. 175-190 (Global Perspectives on Health Geography).Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter (peer-reviewed)
TY - CHAP
T1 - Truth or dare: women, politics, and the symphysiotomy scandal
AU - Walsh, Oonagh
PY - 2020
Y1 - 2020
N2 - In 2016, a Redress Scheme was launched in Ireland to compensate women who had undergone the procedure of symphysiotomy in childbirth in the decades between 1940 and 1990. The scheme was the culmination of an exhaustive process that had seen two failed attempts at an independent report, the fracture of the main patient representative group, constant lobbying of Dail Eireann, and a widespread media campaign that crafted a David-and-Goliath narrative for public consumption. Inevitably, the reality was somewhat different. Throughout the process, emphasis was placed upon the importance of women's voices and the primary testimony of those who had undergone the procedure. Yet, for one of the survivor groups, only certain kinds of voices were permitted, those who adapted their histories to the narrative that refused complexity or subtlety. This essay examines the manner in which a variety of women's voices were crafted, amplified, and silenced in the service of a specific agenda. It also interrogates the role of the media in driving that narrative and raises the vexed question of how voices are heard, or silenced, in the age of social media.
AB - In 2016, a Redress Scheme was launched in Ireland to compensate women who had undergone the procedure of symphysiotomy in childbirth in the decades between 1940 and 1990. The scheme was the culmination of an exhaustive process that had seen two failed attempts at an independent report, the fracture of the main patient representative group, constant lobbying of Dail Eireann, and a widespread media campaign that crafted a David-and-Goliath narrative for public consumption. Inevitably, the reality was somewhat different. Throughout the process, emphasis was placed upon the importance of women's voices and the primary testimony of those who had undergone the procedure. Yet, for one of the survivor groups, only certain kinds of voices were permitted, those who adapted their histories to the narrative that refused complexity or subtlety. This essay examines the manner in which a variety of women's voices were crafted, amplified, and silenced in the service of a specific agenda. It also interrogates the role of the media in driving that narrative and raises the vexed question of how voices are heard, or silenced, in the age of social media.
KW - Symphysiotomy
KW - Ireland
KW - Obstetrics
KW - Medical Practice
UR - https://www.springer.com/gp/book/9783030214050
M3 - Chapter (peer-reviewed)
SN - 9783030214050
T3 - Global Perspectives on Health Geography
SP - 175
EP - 190
BT - GeoHumanities and Health
A2 - Atkinson, Sarah
A2 - Hunt, Rachel
PB - Springer
ER -