--- title: "Roe Round-Up: Analysis on the 40th Anniversary of Legalized Abortion" date: 2013-01-23T01:37:32-05:00 author: OBOS Admin canonical_url: "https://ourbodiesourselves.org/blog/roe-round-up-analysis-on-the-40th-anniversary-of-legalized-abortion" section: Blog (Archive) --- [Donate](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/donate) [From the Archives of Our Bodies, Our Blog](/blog)# Roe Round-Up: Analysis on the 40th Anniversary of Legalized Abortion By Rachel Walden • January 23, 2013 Please note: This entry -- originally posted at [Our Bodies, Our Blog](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/blog) -- has not been updated since the publication date listed above. *Lizz Winstead, Daily Show co-creator and producer, has a message for what's at stake on the 40th anniversary of Roe v. Wade.* On the 40th anniversary of the Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade decision, we celebrate four decades of legal abortion -- which has undoubtedly changed and saved many women's live. Yet we recognize there is still much work to be done. To help change policy and to ensure that all legislators understand the basics about women's bodies and reproduction, **OBOS has re-opened the campaign to [send copies of "Our Bodies, Ourselves" to every member of Congress](/about/educate-congress.asp "Educate Congress!").** Let your friends and colleagues know there's still time to join the campaign -- we'll be delivering the books to D.C. starting in late February. OBOS is also taking part in [Trust Women Week](http://trustwomen.civicactions.org/OBOS/TWW "Trust Women Week") to urge policy makers to support reproductive justice and access to contraception and abortion. You can [add your name to a petition](http://trustwomen.civicactions.org/OBOS/TWW "Trust Women Week") that will be sent to legislators. If you're in San Francisco, there's an event this Saturday starting at 10 a.m. at Justin Herman Plaza. Many organizations and individuals are covering the anniversary today from a variety of personal and political perspectives. Below are some interesting commentaries and reminders of what has been accomplished and how we can work to ensure access for all women. Please leave your favorite links in the comments. [At reddit](http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/1717rq/in_honor_of_40_years_of_legal_abortion_in_the_us/ "We are abortion clinic workers, ask us anything"), two abortion clinic workers have answered a wide variety of questions from readers. Kimberly Inez McGuire of the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health spoke at a Center for American Progress panel on Roe 2.0: Strategies for the Next Generation of Reproductive Rights Activism. Also, check out the group's new [Yo Te Apoyo (I Support You) campaign](http://latinainstitute.org/Yo-Te-Apoyo "Yo Te Apoyo") and Roe v. Wade 40 years later: Latinas weigh in on abortion. NARAL Pro-Choice America is holding their annual [Blog for Choice](http://www.prochoiceamerica.org/get-involved/online-day-of-action/bfcd13-main.html "Blog for Choice Day info and posts") day; expect links to many posts on the topic of personal stories and abortion. Planned Parenthood has a [40th anniversary video](http://youtu.be/f04Zeti-JmE "Video: Reproductive Justice for Women's Health"). The author at [Deana's blog](http://doubletakesociology.wordpress.com/2013/01/22/disputed-rights-and-the-importance-of-roe/ "Disputed Rights and the Importance of Roe"), a professor of sociology, talks about the new study documenting attacks on pregnant women's autonomy ([see our recent post on this issue](http://www.ourbodiesourblog.org/blog/2013/01/when-pregnancy-is-a-crime-arrests-forced-interventions-in-the-name-of-public-health "When Pregnancy is a Crime: Arrests, Forced Interventions in the Name of Public Health")). The National Women's Law Center encourages us all to [write our legislators](https://secure2.convio.net/nwlc/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=857 "Tell Your Legislator: 40 Years Later, This Is Still My Decision") to support abortion access and stand against restrictions. Physicians for Reproductive Choice and Health have made available online the documentary "Voices of Choice: Physicians Who Provided Abortions Before Roe v. Wade." The film includes interviews with Bylle Avery, founder of the National Black Women's Health Project, and Dr. George Tiller, an abortion provider who was murdered. [The 1 in 3 campaign](http://www.1in3campaign.org/ "1 in 3 campaign"), a project of Advocates for Youth, provides stories from individuals who've had an abortion. The organization has also released [a book of stories](http://www.1in3campaign.org/?page_id=281 "1 in 3: These are Our Stories") and [resources for college campuses](http://www.1in3campaign.org/?page_id=219 "1 in 3: Bringing the Campaign to Your Campus"). Shanelle Matthews has a powerful story and insightful commentary at The Crunk Feminist Collective: [The story that’s taken ten years to tell: On abortion, race and the power of story](http://www.crunkfeministcollective.com/2013/01/22/the-story-thats-taken-ten-years-to-tell-on-abortion-race-and-the-power-of-story/ "On abortion, race and the power of story"). Here's an excerpt: > The narrative that abortion gives women and transpeople an opportunity to live the rest of our lives, to become a doctor or a lawyer or whatever isn’t true for everyone. For some of us, abortion just provides one more day. One more day to live our lives exactly the way we want to. For some of us the decision isn’t political, it’s essential. It is essential to taking care of the children we already have, to circumventing difficult medical experiences or to just not be pregnant. There is nothing heroic about having an abortion. It is an essential part of reproductive health care. Bridgette Dunlap at RH Reality Check describes [an unusual argument for the legality of abortion](http://www.rhrealitycheck.org/article/2013/01/21/originalist-argument-abortion-rights-compulsory-childbearing-during-antebellum-sl "The Originalist Argument for Abortion Rights: Compulsory Childbearing During Antebellum Slavery and Its Relevance Today"), resting not in the right to privacy but in the 13th Amendment forbidding slavery and involuntary servitude. This argument suggests the government may not outlaw abortion, because "to do so would be to require physical service from a woman for the benefit of a fetus." Flyover Feminism is hosting a [week-long series on reproductive rights](http://flyoverfeminism.com/category/roeweek/ "Roe Week. No, it's nothing to do with fish eggs."). In Mississippi, the state's only abortion clinic may close. Coverage includes "[Inside Mississippi's Last Abortion Clinic](http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2013/01/inside-mississippis-last-abortion-clinic "Inside Mississippi's Last Abortion Clinic")," from Mother Jones, and "[In Jackson, Mississippi, Southern Hospitality and Food for Thought on Access to Abortion](http://www.rhrealitycheck.org/article/2013/01/20/jackson-on-my-mind "Okay, Mississippi is just making us AngrySad")" at RH Reality Check. Monica Raye Simpson, Executive Director of SisterSong issued a statement celebrating Roe but highlighting the bigger picture: "We need to discuss how issues such as economics, immigration reform, interpersonal violence, rape and lack of comprehensive sexual education are all a part of the equation needed for reproductive justice to be achieved." Jill Filipovic in "Roe v Wade at 40: what American women owe to abortion rights" writes about the ongoing struggle to make reproductive rights accessible to all women: > The primary victims of the pro-life strategy are poor women. The pro-life movement has stepped up its legislative game in the past two years, introducing and passing record-breaking numbers of anti-choice laws in 2011 and keeping the victories coming in 2012. They've made it not only hard to get an abortion, but to get birth control, sex ed and health care generally. > > The result is that Roe's promise of abortion rights isn't available to large swaths of the American population. [The National Women's Law Center](http://www.nwlc.org/resource/state-bans-insurance-coverage-abortion-endanger-women%E2%80%99s-health-and-take-health-benefits-awa "State Bans on Insurance Coverage of Abortion Endanger Women’s Health and Take Health Benefits Away from Women") explains that the health care reform allows states to pass laws banning private insurance coverage of abortion in state exchange plans, meaning that "in **twenty** states, a woman will not be allowed to purchase an exchange-based health plan that covers abortion services, and also may not be able to purchase a plan that provides insurance coverage for abortion at all." As we were saying, there's [plenty of work left to do](/about/educate-congress.asp "Educate Congress"). --- #### 0 Response Our Bodies Ourselves is no longer able to accept comments. ![](/assets/img/monogram.webp)Topics - [Abortion & Reproductive Rights](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/blog/topic/abortion-reproductive-rights) - [Events](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/blog/topic/events) ![](/assets/img/monogram.webp)### *Why You Can* **Trust Us** - We rigorously evaluate all content - We embrace a reproductive justice framework - We don’t accept ads or sell products - We reject funding from the pharmaceutical industry - We counter misinformation and disinformation - We address the social, political, and economic factors that affect health and sexuality [read more](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/why-you-can-trust-us) Share [](javascript:void();)[](javascript:void();)[](javascript:void();)[](javascript:void();)