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Ain't I A Woman? newspapers, June 1970-July 1971

1970-09-11 "Ain't I a Woman?" Page 6

FREE ABORTION ON DEMAND
Initially, the question of whether or not all women should have control over their bod-ies, through legalized abortion, appears to be a very simple issue. But of course! All women should have control of their bodies and abortion should be legal! However, the abortion issue is much more complex than it appears at first glance. Recently, abortion has been one of the very few Women's Liberation demands that has been an issue taken up by people outside of the movement. For years, small groups of people have been debating the church's stand on abortion and discussing under what circumstances women should be allowed to obtain abortions. In several states reform legislation has been passed to extend the unusual circumstances under which a woman may obtain an abortion. Abortion is an issue which is being dealt with in the system today, and it is an issue that gives the illusion that something constructive may be done. 
However, as one gets deeper into the issue, she finds that there are all sorts of possibilities for an abortion demand. Is the abortion demand a revolutionary issue -- if so, how? What type of demand is non-cooptable? Are we really thinking in middle-class terms?

It is very easy to fall into a white, privileged, middle-class bag on abortion repeal. In a fascist pig society abortion repeal can till become just another tool of oppression. The fight for women to have control over their own bodies is an important fight around which the whole issue of putting medical care into the hands of the people can be organized. 
To get out of the privileged class and color bag, we must fight for and demand several things on the abortion issue. First, the woman must be the one who finally decides whether or not she is to have an abortion. This final decision should always rest in her hands, and under no circumstances should anyone of the medical profession perform an abortion without first consulting her. Also, under no circumstances whould a hysterectomy or any other type of sterilization be performed unless the woman fully desires it. Finally, the decision for an abortion lies solely in her hands, not in her parents' or husband's hands. 
In this society legalized abortion would be the equivalent of mass legalized genocide of lower classes and non-whites. Even today, abortion and contraceptive information is seen as a means to limit the population of low income people and third world people. Bourgeois whites believe that people only have the right to raise as many children as they can financially support comfortably. My God, what a fantastic line, to support not only the right but the necessity for the rich to propagate and prosper while the poor do not even have the right to exist. This type of genocide of the poor and the third world must not be tolerated any longer!
Next, the oppressed people of the world must no longer be viewed as a vast pool of guinea pigs. Their inability to pay the prices demanded for contraception and abortion (be it legal or illegal) is no excuse to prey upon them and use them in experiments of the so-called free health clinics. Hence, abortion demands must include free abortion upon demand for all. However, even so, abortion, contraception, and sterilization services must be the same for all and indiscriminate as to class or color. 
Also, as mentioned, abortions must be free. Even if abortions are legalized, it will do poor people no good to have abortion service that they cannot even afford. Legal abortions in hospitals and special clinics now cost the woman from $200 to over $600. Where is any poor or even any young, unmarried sister going to find that kind of money? For women without money, legalized abortion might just as well not even exist. Poor women will still have to resort to self-induced butchery, if abortion is not free. If medical services in this country began to serve the needs of women, vaccuum aspiration would be a common, very inexpensive abortion method which could be used in a majority of cases. However, we are told that these machines are very difficult to buy and still in the "experimental" stage. This is not true. In fact, they are being widly used in Japan, Russia, and Eastern Europe. An abortion with a vaccuum aspirator takes about five minuted, is inexpensive, and is safer (statistics from countries where it is in use show) than any other method now available. Even where legal abortion is available, the more expensive and more dangerous D and C (dilation and curettage) is being used. This only goes to point out that the system (specifically medical care) is not serving the people.

Free abortion upon the demand of the woman is not a middle class demand. All women have the right to personal control over their bodies. If this choice is placed in the hands of women and is made free, along with other medical service, then there is no way that the present system can provide this for the people. To think that these needs can be met in the present system and then to accepts compromises (such as abortion reform, or legal but expensive abortion) is middle class and is the kind of cooptation we should avoid. We should be under no illusions that free abortion upon demand is anything but a revolutionary demand. This should always be kept in mind, as should the fact that we are fighting for all people and that abortion is only one small piece of the whole struggle. 

Genocide
Often it is difficult to understand how abortion can be genocide, but working in a University Hospital, I know that poor people and third world people come in classified as PI (patient indigent) or clinical pay (receiving state aid). This means they immediately are placed on a ward and have students taking care of them under the direction if a resident doctor. Questions are asked and forms are filled out. If the woman is having any difficulty at all wither her pregnancy, and if she has a poor family background (that is lots of kids, bad relationships with her husband, on welfare, unhealthy living conditions, etc.) then she is a perfect candidate for an abortion. I can see all those young eager faces trying to convince her that medically it is the best thing she could do. Then also, there are all the added advantages of one less mouth to feed. Any time a poor white or third world woman goes into a clinic for a check up you know she's going to be asked all types of questions on just how she intends to take care of the child. Of course things look grim for her, and in the systems usual half-assed manner the solution will be to get rid of a symptom and not the cause. This means provide abortion service. Hence, abortion will become just one more shabby attempt to help out the poor people. 
There can be no doubt that legalized abortion will become mass genocide for the poor. Abortion can be made into a very simple procedure that any medical student could perform. However, poor women obtain health care from clinics where they have next to nothing to say about the types of service and what service they get. You had better believe that if white upper class Amerika has in its head that only people who can comfortably support kids should have them -- then that's what will be imposed on poor women in the clinics. 

[Three women protesting, one holding a sign that says "Stop Butcher Abortions"]
Photo: Michael Hardy 

6      VOL. 1. No. 5     AIN'T I

Saving...

FREE ABORTION ON DEMAND Initially, the question of whether or not all women should have control over their bod-ies, through legalized abortion, appears to be a very simple issue. But of course! All women should have control of their bodies and abortion should be legal! However, the abortion issue is much more complex than it appears at first glance. Recently, abortion has been one of the very few Women's Liberation demands that has been an issue taken up by people outside of the movement. For years, small groups of people have been debating the church's stand on abortion and discussing under what circumstances women should be allowed to obtain abortions. In several states reform legislation has been passed to extend the unusual circumstances under which a woman may obtain an abortion. Abortion is an issue which is being dealt with in the system today, and it is an issue that gives the illusion that something constructive may be done. However, as one gets deeper into the issue, she finds that there are all sorts of possibilities for an abortion demand. Is the abortion demand a revolutionary issue -- if so, how? What type of demand is non-cooptable? Are we really thinking in middle-class terms? It is very easy to fall into a white, privileged, middle-class bag on abortion repeal. In a fascist pig society abortion repeal can till become just another tool of oppression. The fight for women to have control over their own bodies is an important fight around which the whole issue of putting medical care into the hands of the people can be organized. To get out of the privileged class and color bag, we must fight for and demand several things on the abortion issue. First, the woman must be the one who finally decides whether or not she is to have an abortion. This final decision should always rest in her hands, and under no circumstances should anyone of the medical profession perform an abortion without first consulting her. Also, under no circumstances whould a hysterectomy or any other type of sterilization be performed unless the woman fully desires it. Finally, the decision for an abortion lies solely in her hands, not in her parents' or husband's hands. In this society legalized abortion would be the equivalent of mass legalized genocide of lower classes and non-whites. Even today, abortion and contraceptive information is seen as a means to limit the population of low income people and third world people. Bourgeois whites believe that people only have the right to raise as many children as they can financially support comfortably. My God, what a fantastic line, to support not only the right but the necessity for the rich to propagate and prosper while the poor do not even have the right to exist. This type of genocide of the poor and the third world must not be tolerated any longer! Next, the oppressed people of the world must no longer be viewed as a vast pool of guinea pigs. Their inability to pay the prices demanded for contraception and abortion (be it legal or illegal) is no excuse to prey upon them and use them in experiments of the so-called free health clinics. Hence, abortion demands must include free abortion upon demand for all. However, even so, abortion, contraception, and sterilization services must be the same for all and indiscriminate as to class or color. Also, as mentioned, abortions must be free. Even if abortions are legalized, it will do poor people no good to have abortion service that they cannot even afford. Legal abortions in hospitals and special clinics now cost the woman from $200 to over $600. Where is any poor or even any young, unmarried sister going to find that kind of money? For women without money, legalized abortion might just as well not even exist. Poor women will still have to resort to self-induced butchery, if abortion is not free. If medical services in this country began to serve the needs of women, vaccuum aspiration would be a common, very inexpensive abortion method which could be used in a majority of cases. However, we are told that these machines are very difficult to buy and still in the "experimental" stage. This is not true. In fact, they are being widly used in Japan, Russia, and Eastern Europe. An abortion with a vaccuum aspirator takes about five minuted, is inexpensive, and is safer (statistics from countries where it is in use show) than any other method now available. Even where legal abortion is available, the more expensive and more dangerous D and C (dilation and curettage) is being used. This only goes to point out that the system (specifically medical care) is not serving the people. Free abortion upon the demand of the woman is not a middle class demand. All women have the right to personal control over their bodies. If this choice is placed in the hands of women and is made free, along with other medical service, then there is no way that the present system can provide this for the people. To think that these needs can be met in the present system and then to accepts compromises (such as abortion reform, or legal but expensive abortion) is middle class and is the kind of cooptation we should avoid. We should be under no illusions that free abortion upon demand is anything but a revolutionary demand. This should always be kept in mind, as should the fact that we are fighting for all people and that abortion is only one small piece of the whole struggle. Genocide Often it is difficult to understand how abortion can be genocide, but working in a University Hospital, I know that poor people and third world people come in classified as PI (patient indigent) or clinical pay (receiving state aid). This means they immediately are placed on a ward and have students taking care of them under the direction if a resident doctor. Questions are asked and forms are filled out. If the woman is having any difficulty at all wither her pregnancy, and if she has a poor family background (that is lots of kids, bad relationships with her husband, on welfare, unhealthy living conditions, etc.) then she is a perfect candidate for an abortion. I can see all those young eager faces trying to convince her that medically it is the best thing she could do. Then also, there are all the added advantages of one less mouth to feed. Any time a poor white or third world woman goes into a clinic for a check up you know she's going to be asked all types of questions on just how she intends to take care of the child. Of course things look grim for her, and in the systems usual half-assed manner the solution will be to get rid of a symptom and not the cause. This means provide abortion service. Hence, abortion will become just one more shabby attempt to help out the poor people. There can be no doubt that legalized abortion will become mass genocide for the poor. Abortion can be made into a very simple procedure that any medical student could perform. However, poor women obtain health care from clinics where they have next to nothing to say about the types of service and what service they get. You had better believe that if white upper class Amerika has in its head that only people who can comfortably support kids should have them -- then that's what will be imposed on poor women in the clinics. [Three women protesting, one holding a sign that says "Stop Butcher Abortions"] Photo: Michael Hardy 6 VOL. 1. No. 5 AIN'T I

FREE ABORTION ON DEMAND
Initially, the question of whether or not all women should have control over their bod-ies, through legalized abortion, appears to be a very simple issue. But of course! All women should have control of their bodies and abortion should be legal! However, the abortion issue is much more complex than it appears at first glance. Recently, abortion has been one of the very few Women's Liberation demands that has been an issue taken up by people outside of the movement. For years, small groups of people have been debating the church's stand on abortion and discussing under what circumstances women should be allowed to obtain abortions. In several states reform legislation has been passed to extend the unusual circumstances under which a woman may obtain an abortion. Abortion is an issue which is being dealt with in the system today, and it is an issue that gives the illusion that something constructive may be done. 
However, as one gets deeper into the issue, she finds that there are all sorts of possibilities for an abortion demand. Is the abortion demand a revolutionary issue -- if so, how? What type of demand is non-cooptable? Are we really thinking in middle-class terms?It is very easy to fall into a white, privileged, middle-class bag on abortion repeal. In a fascist pig society abortion repeal can till become just another tool of oppression. The fight for women to have control over their own bodies is an important fight around which the whole issue of putting medical care into the hands of the people can be organized. To get out of the privileged class and color bag, we must fight for and demand several things on the abortion issue. First, the woman must be the one who finally decides whether or not she is to have an abortion. This final decision should always rest in her hands, and under no circumstances should anyone of the medical profession perform an abortion without first consulting her. Also, under no circumstances whould a hysterectomy or any other type of sterilization be performed unless the woman fully desires it. Finally, the decision for an abortion lies solely in her hands, not in her parents' or husband's hands. 
In this society legalized abortion would be the equivalent of mass legalized genocide of lower classes and non-whites. Even today, abortion and contraceptive information is seen as a means to limit the population of low income people and third world people. Bourgeois whites believe that people only have the right to raise as many children as they can financially support comfortably. My God, what a fantastic line, to support not only the right but the necessity for the rich to propagate and prosper while the poor do not even have the right to exist. This type of genocide of the poor and the third world must not be tolerated any longer! Next, the oppressed people of the world must no longer be viewed as a vast pool of guinea pigs. Their inability to pay the prices demanded for contraception and abortion (be it legal or illegal) is no excuse to prey upon them and use them in experiments of the so-called free health clinics. Hence, abortion demands must include free abortion upon demand for all. However, even so, abortion, contraception, and sterilization services must be the same for all and indiscriminate as to class or color. 
Also, as mentioned, abortions must be free. Even if abortions are legalized, it will do poor people no good to have abortion service that they cannot even afford. Legal abortions in hospitals and special clinics now cost the woman from $200 to over $600. Where is any poor or even any young, unmarried sister going to find that kind of money? For women without money, legalized abortion might just as well not even exist. Poor women will still have to resort to self-induced butchery, if abortion is not free. If medical services in this country began to serve the needs of women, vaccuum aspiration would be a common, very inexpensive abortion method which could be used in a majority of cases. However, we are told that these machines are very difficult to buy and still in the "experimental" stage. This is not true. In fact, they are being widly used in Japan, Russia, and Eastern Europe. An abortion with a vaccuum aspirator takes about five minuted, is inexpensive, and is safer (statistics from countries where it is in use show) than any other method now available. Even where legal abortion is available, the more expensive and more dangerous D and C (dilation and curettage) is being used. This only goes to point out that the system (specifically medical care) is not serving the people. Free abortion upon the demand of the woman is not a middle class demand. All women have the right to personal control over their bodies. If this choice is placed in the hands of women and is made free, along with other medical service, then there is no way that the present system can provide this for the people. To think that these needs can be met in the present system and then to accepts compromises (such as abortion reform, or legal but expensive abortion) is middle class and is the kind of cooptation we should avoid. We should be under no illusions that free abortion upon demand is anything but a revolutionary demand. This should always be kept in mind, as should the fact that we are fighting for all people and that abortion is only one small piece of the whole struggle. Genocide
Often it is difficult to understand how abortion can be genocide, but working in a University Hospital, I know that poor people and third world people come in classified as PI (patient indigent) or clinical pay (receiving state aid). This means they immediately are placed on a ward and have students taking care of them under the direction if a resident doctor. Questions are asked and forms are filled out. If the woman is having any difficulty at all wither her pregnancy, and if she has a poor family background (that is lots of kids, bad relationships with her husband, on welfare, unhealthy living conditions, etc.) then she is a perfect candidate for an abortion. I can see all those young eager faces trying to convince her that medically it is the best thing she could do. Then also, there are all the added advantages of one less mouth to feed. Any time a poor white or third world woman goes into a clinic for a check up you know she's going to be asked all types of questions on just how she intends to take care of the child. Of course things look grim for her, and in the systems usual half-assed manner the solution will be to get rid of a symptom and not the cause. This means provide abortion service. Hence, abortion will become just one more shabby attempt to help out the poor people. There can be no doubt that legalized abortion will become mass genocide for the poor. Abortion can be made into a very simple procedure that any medical student could perform. However, poor women obtain health care from clinics where they have next to nothing to say about the types of service and what service they get. You had better believe that if white upper class Amerika has in its head that only people who can comfortably support kids should have them -- then that's what will be imposed on poor women in the clinics. [Three women protesting, one holding a sign that says "Stop Butcher Abortions"] Photo: Michael Hardy 
6 VOL. 1. No. 5 AIN'T I