Post on 13-Dec-2015
transcript
Defending a Choice for Women: A Feminist Video Ethnography
Beverly Yuen Thompson, Ph.D.
Florida International University
Introduction
Involvement with Miami clinic access project (MCAP) Historic abortion restrictions Contemporary abortion issues The pro-life movement The pro-choice movement Clinic defense Defending a choice for women: A feminist video
ethnography Reproductive rights classroom education
Miami Clinic Access Project (MCAP)
A Choice for Women clinic Priests for Life and local
Catholic churches, majority Spanish speakers
MCAP older, white activists and WS students
Women’s studies program has connection to MCAP
Every Saturday 6-11a.m. for six months of fieldwork and interviews
Intro to WS student involvement
Miami Clinic Access Project (MCAP): Video Clip
0:30 min.
Historic Abortion Restrictions
From female midwives to the American Medical Association (AMA)
New laws based on British common law, banning abortion after quickening
1821-first abortion law in Connecticut; by 1890, every state had regulations
Historic Eugenics Programs
Between 1900-1960, for African American and Native American women, they faced forced sterilization (45k-60k) (CA accounts for 1/3)
Buck v. Bell, Supreme Court decision in Virginia that upheld involuntary sterilization (1927)
Margaret Sanger’s Birth Control Federation had “Negro Project” (1939), promoted eugenics practices
Abortion and Contraception legalized 1960 FDA approved the pill 1965 Griswold v.
Connecticut- married couples have access to pill
1967 President Johnson approves $20m contraceptive programs
1973 Roe v. Wade-legalize abortion through privacy
1973-1977-gov’t pays for 1/3 of all abortions (294,600 in 1977)
1977 Hyde Amendment denies use of Medicaid for abortion (1977, fewer than 2,500 abortions covered)
Contemporary Abortion Issues:Legal but restricted
Between 1.3 & 1.5m abortions performed
14% of US counties have an abortion provider
24 hour waiting period Parental consent Informed of abortion impact,
fetal development Required sonograms Only 12% of obgyn medical
programs require abortion training
2/3 of providers over age 65
Abstinence Only Education
Government spends over $1 billion over last decade Global gag rule Under Governor Bush, Texas had most stringent abstinence
only education, and also was #1 in teenage birthrate (2000) Abstinence only education proven to be notoriously ineffective
The Pro-Life Movement
Religious movement against pre-marital sex, abortion, contraception, and sex education
Political movement fighting on grassroots-national-international fronts At clinics: “rescues” and “sidewalk counseling” Movement has had violent extremists that conduct damage to clinics
and the murder of seven individuals
The Pro-Life Movement: Video Clip
Although “pro-life” they are still pro-war and pro-death penalty and do not support social programs that assist women and children
1:21 min.
The Pro-Choice Movement
Feminist movement to defend women’s right to control their bodies
Defending abortion/contraception rights and protecting women’s health and access
Defending clinics as escorts
Defending a Choice for Women
23 minute documentary useful for community and classroom organizing
Provides a visual reference of the situation
Chapters: – Pro-life movement
– Clinic defense
– Catholics on all sides
– Women’s testimonies
– Student education
Conclusion: Reproductive Rights Classroom Education Video
For Intro to Women’s Studies, the student attend a feminist event and write a short paper about it. Many chose to visit and write about the clinic defense.
1:03 min.