The Right to Regret: Regulating the Body Through Specters of Regret

Author

Alysha Casnellie, The Graduate Center, City University of New YorkFollow

Date of Degree

6-2025

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

M.A.

Program

Women's and Gender Studies

Advisor

Saadia Toor

Subject Categories

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Studies | Other Feminist, Gender, and Sexuality Studies | Queer Studies | Women's Studies

Keywords

Regret, Affect, Gender Studies, Women's Studies

Abstract

This thesis investigates the affective politics of regret as mobilized in contemporary legislative debates, with a specific focus on the fights for legal abortion and gender confirming treatment in the United States. While regret is often understood as an introspective, individualized experience, this study draws on queer and feminist theoretical frameworks to explore regret as a socially embedded and politically charged emotion. By tracing the historical and rhetorical parallels between narratives of “trans regret” and “abortion regret”, the project examines how regret functions as a strategic tool in efforts to curtail bodily autonomy.

The first section of the thesis reviews interdisciplinary scholarship on emotions to establish regret as a cultural practice with distinct representational strategies. The subsequent section situates the study within the context of reproductive rights, analyzing the role of maternal regret in the gradual erosion of abortion access in the United States, particularly through the 2007 Gonzales v. Carhart case, adjudicated by the Supreme Court. The final section turns to the ongoing legislative targeting of transgender individuals, analyzing how regret narratives are similarly weaponized to regulate gender-confirming medical care.

Recommended Citation

Casnellie, Alysha, "The Right to Regret: Regulating the Body Through Specters of Regret" (2025). CUNY Academic Works.
https://academicworks.cuny.edu/gc_etds/6224