January 22: celebrating Roe v Wade

January 22: celebrating Roe v Wade,
the Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion in the USA

Legalization of abortion has dramatically improved women's health. Abortion moved from the back alleys to safe professional clinics. As more doctors began to openly provide it, share their expertise, and work to develop better procedures, abortion became even safer.

In the early 1900's, an estimated 800,000 illegal abortions occurred annually, resulting in 8,000-17,000 women's deaths each year. Today, abortion is the most common outpatient surgical procedure. It is 8 to 10 times safer than giving birth. About one-in-three American will have an abortion in her lifetime.

On the anniversary of Roe v. Wade, it is imperative that pro-choice Americans send the message to Congress and the White House that we will not go back to the days of illegal abortion. Women's lives will NOT be sacrificed in the name of politics. Abortion and self-determination are fundamental human rights of all women, regardless of a woman's socioeconomic, ethnic, racial, cultural or religious background, age, or sexual orientation.

The following links have detailed information about the U.S. Supreme Court and efforts to preserve Roe v Wade.

Roe v Wade - the complete text of the Supreme Court's decision. Understanding Roe from the Center for Reproductive Rights.

Supreme Court Watch - Follow the Alito nomination - brought to you by a coalition called Alliance for Justice.

EVENTS in the Seattle-Tacoma area honoring the Anniversary of Roe

Honor the 33rd Anniversary of Roe v Wade by making a donation of $33 to Feminist Women's Health Center (Cedar River Clinics).

Read Paul Loeb's assessment of why the filibuster must be an option.

Benchmark Campaign - from the National Council of Jewish Women.

Supreme Court Monitor - from Law.com, legal news and information.

SaveRoe.com - activism to preserve the constitutional right of privacy.

Nomination Watch - brought to you by the National Women's Law Center.

People for the American Way

History of abortion rights in the USA.

Concentric Media's documentary trilogy by Dorothy Fadiman tells the whole story "from the back alleys to the Supreme Court and beyond." Dramatic stories about the fight to make abortion legal and what happened afterward.

Jane is a documentary film that tells the story of an underground safe abortion network operating in Chicago in the years before Roe v Wade.

A Brief History of Reproductive Rights - by Jessica, a volunteer with Emma Goldman Clinic in Iowa City, Iowa.

Seattle City Council Proclamation on the 30th Anniversary of Roe... "Roe v. Wade is a pillar of social justice and gender equity."

'Roe' Reaches 30 - by Tony Mauro, published 01-21-2003. When Yale Law School marked the 30th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, a panel discussion brought together legal scholars from around the country titled: "What Roe v. Wade Should Have Said."