Surrogate Mothers, a feminist graphic novel

Surrogate Mothers will unfold the relationship between the transnational surrogacy market and capitalist exploitation, as well as discuss the intersections of gender, race, class, and space in the transnational (di)vision of labour. The still-increasing global demand for consumption and the lack of an appropriate international legal framework have led to the development of a cannibal trade where the human body is vampirized and consumed. The reproduction process has become an international business revigorated by technological development and globalisation.

However, Surrogate Mothers will first and foremost be a story of sisterhood and feminist resistance. Through the medium of a graphic novel that, as believe the co-authors of the e-book, will make this complex topic more accessible to wider audiences, light will be shed on two surrogate mothers living in different contexts and geographies (Ukraine under war and India). By mixing fiction and evidence, dream and reality, Surrogate Mothers will also intend to explore the issue of women's agency in transnational surrogacy via a poetic and feminist lens.

About the co-authors:

Vidushi and Medhavini are artivists, visual designers and sisters from India, known for their work on gender justice, South Asian identity and human rights. Their art challenges the status quo, aiming to shift the visual narrative in the popular media. Through their collaborations with organizations like AWID, Plan International, Frida Fund, Oxfam, and others, they investigate themes such as the male gaze, representation, ableism, philanthropy and colonialism, using their illustrations to provoke thought and inspire change.

Operating from their Jaipur-based studio alongside a team of queer and disability rights activists, their work embodies a commitment to inclusivity and social justice. Vidushi and Medhavini's efforts have not only garnered international recognition but also fostered a community of like-minded individuals dedicated to using art as a catalyst for societal transformation.

https://www.instagram.com/vidushiy/

https://www.instagram.com/medhaviniy/

Alicja comes from Poland, and she is currently living in France. She is a gender and social inclusion specialist, as well as an artist, cultural projects manager, mother, and feminist storyteller navigating across various disciplines such as climate change, clean energy access, education, reproductive rights, and arts. Alicja became interested in transnational surrogacy while studying at SOAS, School of Oriental and African Studies (MA in Gender and Sexuality in Global Politics) and decided to make it the main subject of her master's degree.