Posted on May 4, 2022
The abortion underground and what lessons can be learned from the Jane Collective
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https://www.npr.org/2022/05/04/ [login to see] /abortion-underground-jane-collective-heather-booth-scotus-roe-wade
What Sunny Chapman experienced roughly 53 years ago in a secret Chicago apartment while blindfolded exemplifies what life was like for women seeking an abortion before Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 ruling guaranteeing the right to the procedure.
It was 1969 and Chapman needed an abortion. The then-19-year-old activist had been working for the Chicago Seed, an underground newspaper, when she spotted an ad that said "Pregnant? Need Help? Call Jane."
Jane was actually the Jane Collective, a group of activists who banded together in the 1960s to provide abortions to thousands of women at a time when the procedure was still outlawed.
"It's a fairly painful procedure, and on a bed in an apartment, and, you know, they did a great job, but this is not how it should be," Chapman told NPR over the phone. "Women should be able to go to medical clinics openly and go into a room after their procedure and be covered with a blanket and have a nice hot cup of tea. And, you know, it shouldn't be this crazy thing. I mean, can you imagine if you were a young woman doing something like this? Would you have the courage as a 19-year-old woman?"
What Sunny Chapman experienced roughly 53 years ago in a secret Chicago apartment while blindfolded exemplifies what life was like for women seeking an abortion before Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 ruling guaranteeing the right to the procedure.
It was 1969 and Chapman needed an abortion. The then-19-year-old activist had been working for the Chicago Seed, an underground newspaper, when she spotted an ad that said "Pregnant? Need Help? Call Jane."
Jane was actually the Jane Collective, a group of activists who banded together in the 1960s to provide abortions to thousands of women at a time when the procedure was still outlawed.
"It's a fairly painful procedure, and on a bed in an apartment, and, you know, they did a great job, but this is not how it should be," Chapman told NPR over the phone. "Women should be able to go to medical clinics openly and go into a room after their procedure and be covered with a blanket and have a nice hot cup of tea. And, you know, it shouldn't be this crazy thing. I mean, can you imagine if you were a young woman doing something like this? Would you have the courage as a 19-year-old woman?"
The abortion underground and what lessons can be learned from the Jane Collective
Posted from npr.org
Chicago
Abortion
American History
Health
Medical
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 3
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Personally, I don't agree with abortion as a form of birth control. That being said, it isn't my body and I don't feel I have the right to tell some woman what she can or can not do with her body. That should be a personal choice left up to each individual woman.
While I don't support the barbaric practice, I would rather see a woman have access to professionally trained, regulated, inspected, and licensed facilities where she can be safe and receive proper medical care. The alternative is resorting to "rusty coat hanger in the back allley" type of activity and to me that is infinitely worse.
Vasectomies and tubal ligation have high percentages of being reversible. Condoms are cheap. Child support is expensive. Choose wisely.
While I don't support the barbaric practice, I would rather see a woman have access to professionally trained, regulated, inspected, and licensed facilities where she can be safe and receive proper medical care. The alternative is resorting to "rusty coat hanger in the back allley" type of activity and to me that is infinitely worse.
Vasectomies and tubal ligation have high percentages of being reversible. Condoms are cheap. Child support is expensive. Choose wisely.
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IF Roe v Wade is overturned it will NOT make abortion illegal. I suspect where we will end up is where most of the EU is...with a 12 week limit except for very extenuating circumstances.
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MAJ Bob Miyagishima
Fortunately if this does occurs, there are 13 trigger States that will automatically restrict abortions; Arkansas, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Dakota, South Dakota, Oklahoma,Tennessee, Texas, Utah and Wyoming. Unfortunately my state New Mexico is not one of them and more abortions will be performed by Texans coming across the border.
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