What Happens When Agency Is Taken Away? Reproductive Choice, Autonomy, and Mental Health - ENORMOUS WINGS (With Laurie Frankel and Dr. Antonia Biggs)

Marisa chats with Laurie Frankel, author of ENORMOUS WINGS, and Dr. Antonia Biggs of the University of California, San Francisco to explore agency, autonomy, and what happens when the power to make decisions about our own bodies is taken away. Through the story of a 77-year-old pregnant woman navigating a restrictive legal landscape, they examine how society limits choice across the lifespan—from aging to reproductive health—and how quickly one lost decision can ripple into many. Drawing on insights from the Turnaway Study, they discuss the real mental health, financial, and relational impacts of being denied reproductive care, challenge common misconceptions about abortion, and highlight the complex emotional realities people experience. Together, they explore how agency shapes well-being, why autonomy matters at every age, and how opening up these conversations can shift the way we think about choice.

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The Character's Toolkit is a bibliotherapy-based mental health podcast where novels and fictional characters are used to explore therapy concepts and coping skills.