In Conversation Series: Shefali Luthra

In conversation with Gender Studies, and the Department of Political Science, the Writers House welcomes Shefali Luthra, who will read from and discuss her book, Undue Burden: Life and Death Decisions in Post-Roe America.

Tiffany was 16 and wanted an abortion, but she lived in Texas in 2022, and the state’s six-week ban and parental consent requirement were too much for her to overcome. She fell into a depression severe enough that she was hospitalized, then developed complications that led to a harrowing delivery. At 17, against her wishes, she became a mom. “As much as I love this baby, I would wish this on absolutely no one,” Tiffany told Shefali Luthra, author of Undue Burden (Doubleday). “I still ideally would have had that abortion.” In this powerful new book, Luthra, a reporter for The 19th, chronicles heartbreaking stories like Tiffany’s while dispelling the myth that any of us are truly safe from the impact of Dobbs.

Refreshments will be provided. Enter at the rear door of the Writers House and proceed up the stairs to room 202. Registration encouraged: Register