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Abstract

Motherly guilt and anxieties about reproductive choices are often a significant source of psychological trauma in women who decide to have a child after being diagnosed with breast cancer (BC), but these themes are less visible in breast cancer memoirs. Patriarchal societal norms about women’s roles have long influenced women’s ideas about their bodies and motherhood. However, women with BC who are already in a vulnerable position, struggling with a life-threatening disease, feel helpless and guilty about their desires to be mothers, as society often considers them to be bad or selfish mothers. The present study examines Tig Notaro’s I’m Just a Person (2017) and Caitlin Brodnick’s Dangerous Boobies (2017) to reveal the psychological and moral dilemma of women with BC, whose infertility issues can be partially solved with the help of advanced technologies. Their emotional turmoil regarding motherhood and fertility suggests the need for more empathy and concern from both physicians and families. These selected memoirs by two celebrated American comedians also reflect how even financially independent women in the Global North often feel anxious about their reproductive choices at the onset of BC. Therefore, many such studies are needed to understand the psychological trauma of such women from different cross-sections of society and culture. This article reveals the need to respect the autonomy of women with chronic illnesses, to support them with their individual decisions, and also to help them to overcome their feelings of guilt and shame.

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