“You Killed Our Baby!”: Cristina Yang and the Breaking of the Abortion Taboo in Grey’s Anatomy

Abstract

In 2011, a rare event occurred on American television: Cristina Yang, one of the main characters of Grey’s Anatomy, a widely popular TV show, decided to have an abortion and went through with her decision. In light of the fact that the pro-life/pro-choice debate has been raging in the United States since 1973 and has been tightly informed by religious views, this paper attempts to determine how the abortion plotline was organized in that regard. It becomes clear that Cristina’s decision is never criticized on religious grounds and that Cristina is never the victim of any event that could be considered divine retribution. This does not mean, however, that she does not have to face the consequences of her actions. Moreover, a religious perspective on unwanted pregnancies is introduced later on in the show.

Keywords

• Grey’s Anatomy
• Sex and the City
• Californication
• Gossip Girl
• Girls
• Six Feet Under