Planned Parenthood Affiliates of Ohio released their monthly Thanks and Spanks today. The organization's cheers and jeers go to two groups or individuals who have made a difference in reproductive rights, either good or bad.
Spanks to anti-FOCA campaigners
Anti-choice activists have been up in arms lately, pleading with their friends to contact Congress and defeat the Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA). While this is the usual activity we expect from the usual suspects, there is one thing that has us puzzled: FOCA isn't a real bill.
In previous sessions of Congress, the Freedom of Choice Act had sought to put the principles of Roe v. Wade into statutory law. However, it is not a piece of legislation being currently considered. Under the current pro-choice administration, the threat to Roe isn't as severe, and the idea has not been re-introduced. (This is the benefit from the hard work you did to elect a pro-choice president!)
Despite not having an actual piece of legislation, anti-choice activists across the country are wasting the time of our Congressional leaders when economic recovery is the most important issue of the day. Among others, Cardinal Justin Rigali of Philadelphia has been making members of Congress respond to his letters demanding a defeat of this non-bill. Worse, he claims credit for each day the non-bill is not passed. It is unfortunate that individuals with so much time and resources are not compelled to try to help those truly in need or to advocate for legislation that...actually exists.
Thanks to Members of Congress
Thanks to the Members of Congress for recognizing the anti-FOCA campaign for what it is – pure misinformation and lies.
Each year, Freedom of Choice Ohio (FOCO) sponsors a Roe v. Wade Anniversary event to both celebrate the monumental court decision and provide insight of the work that still needs to be done. This year’s dinner featured Jennifer Baumgardner, an author and third-wave feminist activist. Jennifer is best known for creating the “I had an abortion” campaign to encourage women (and men) to "come out" about their procedures. The project included t-shirts that said "I had an abortion," and a book called Abortion and Life. This campaign also led to the creation of Jennifer’s film, Speak Out: I had an Abortion. At the Roe anniversary event, attendees had the opportunity to interact with Jennifer as she introduced her film, and later as she answered questions about it. She told the crowd that she originally became interested in the project because as an activist, she felt “there was a disconnect between our beliefs and the way we told our own stories.” Pro-choice activists were talking about their acceptance of abortion, but no one was talking about their actual abortion experiences. Jennifer stated that during the Bush administration especially, she “became frustrated because there wasn’t a lot of movement on this issue, and frustrated with myself because I was contributing to this loggerhead.”
This frustration led to the creation of the “I had an abortion” project, as Jennifer realized that people can fight about abortion easily, but it’s really difficult to actually talk about it. By encouraging conversation about abortion experiences and taking the time to really listen to people’s stories, Jennifer says that this project “allowed me to reconnect to the political issue of abortion in a really authentic way.”
Speak Out: I had an Abortion shares the story of ten women who had an abortion, and the story that surrounded that decision. The stories span seventy years, and include women from diverse backgrounds. Jennifer later told the crowd that the most difficult part of making the film was deciding which stories would be included. One question from the crowd addressed that the women who had abortions post-Roe seemed to have more guilt than those who had had their procedures before the decision. Jennifer responded “My generation feels very responsible when they get pregnant. You get this sense of ‘I screwed up.’ I think this is too punishing – but I’m sympathetic that my generation feels that with greater power comes greater responsibility.”
Jennifer reminded the group that while there is much work to be done, the movement may be headed in a new direction. The terminology of “choice” is not a label that all activists feel comfortable embracing, and there has been a recent trend toward the idea of reproductive justice, which started with Loretta Ross and Sistersong. The “I had an abortion” project made the movement even more personal to Jennifer. She said that before the project, “I saw the movement in terms of bumper stickers and arguments. I don’t get into those fights anymore. When someone tells me they’re pro-life and they regret their abortion, I say, ‘Tell me your story.’”
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