Sexuality and Abortion in Interwar Poland

Women’s rights activism and the reformation of the legal thought in early twentieth-century Poland were deeply intertwined—sometimes contradictory, yet mutually dependent—shaping debates around the 1932 abortion law and challenging traditional views on female sexuality and motherhood. Set against political transformation, economic hardship, and societal pressure, this book explores the clash between liberal “moral reform” ideas and the ideal of the “traditional” Polish family. Through individual stories from rural Suwalki county, it reveals how precarity, gender roles, and state expectations influenced women’s choices, with abortion often emerging as a necessity for healthcare and survival. Rich in unpublished legal case studies, the book offers scholars and readers a comprehensive overview of interwar sexuality debates and timely reflections on how these issues resonate today. This interdisciplinary work highlights the enduring impact of the male gaze in decisions affecting women’s lives by bringing expert discourses into dialogue with personal narratives.