Wednesday, November 4th I attended a documentary entitled The Coat Hanger Project. The film was a feminist look on the issue of abortion and the concept of reproductive justice. Before viewing the film I was unclear as to what the coat hanger symbolizes. I learned from the film that due to illegalization of abortion, millions of women die or suffer from permanent injury from attempts to self abort using coat hangers or knitting needles. Since the landmark case of Roe v. Wade in 1973 abortion has been legal in most states. However, every year proposals are brought forth in legislation to ban abortion. Therefore, the fight for reproductive justice still continues.
The term reproductive justice was coined by Loretta Ross who has also started the Reproductive Justice Movement. The definition of reproductive justice is the “complete physical, mental, spiritual, political, social, and economic well being of women and girls, based on the full achievement and protection of women’s human rights.” This includes the right to have a child and the right to not have a child. Today many pro-choice activists participate in counter-protests to help protect their right for reproductive justice. In 2006 South Dakota legislature made an attempt to ban abortion without an exception for rape, incest, or risk to a woman’s health. Luckily the bill was overturned. However, this is one example that women must continue to fight to keep legal abortions.
Many people think that abortion is killing potential lives and therefore should be illegal. However, it is my opinion that the government shouldn’t dictate what a woman can or cannot do to her own body. Women should have the right to make their own decisions. I think this documentary further solidified my stance on the issue. Many women have died from trying to perform their own abortions. If abortion was illegal then women would still find ways to have abortions. However, they would be considerably less safe abortions. A pro-choice activist interviewed in the documentary said it best. “I’m not saying that potential lives are not valuable, but are they more valuable than the lives that are already here?”
The term reproductive justice was coined by Loretta Ross who has also started the Reproductive Justice Movement. The definition of reproductive justice is the “complete physical, mental, spiritual, political, social, and economic well being of women and girls, based on the full achievement and protection of women’s human rights.” This includes the right to have a child and the right to not have a child. Today many pro-choice activists participate in counter-protests to help protect their right for reproductive justice. In 2006 South Dakota legislature made an attempt to ban abortion without an exception for rape, incest, or risk to a woman’s health. Luckily the bill was overturned. However, this is one example that women must continue to fight to keep legal abortions.
Many people think that abortion is killing potential lives and therefore should be illegal. However, it is my opinion that the government shouldn’t dictate what a woman can or cannot do to her own body. Women should have the right to make their own decisions. I think this documentary further solidified my stance on the issue. Many women have died from trying to perform their own abortions. If abortion was illegal then women would still find ways to have abortions. However, they would be considerably less safe abortions. A pro-choice activist interviewed in the documentary said it best. “I’m not saying that potential lives are not valuable, but are they more valuable than the lives that are already here?”
well written reflection.
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