In 1976 Susan Wickland had an abortion. The doctor and staff that did the abortion were very rough with her and she was disgusted at the way she was treated. Afterwards she became interested in reproductive health and worked with women giving birth. A chance encounter with a career counselor at a party put the idea of becoming a doctor into her mind.
She entered college as the single mother of a toddler. After finishing medical school, she wanted to provide abortions in a supportive environment like she wished that she would have had during her abortion.
She started providing abortions during the 1980s when anti-abortion protesters were at their most aggressive. She was beaten and chased and routinely was threatened. Crowds of protesters met her at airports and blocked the entrance to her driveway to try to keep her from being able to leave her house. She had to don disguises to be able to get into clinics where she was scheduled to work.
Through it all, she kept going for the women for whom she was providing service. She tells the story of many of them and what led them to seek out an abortion. She talks about women who she encouraged not to have an abortion. She talks about the anti-abortion protesters who came to her for abortions.
It was a hard life. She had to vary her route to and from clinics. She had to sneak through the woods at night to get away from protesters in her driveway. Her daughter was targeted at school. When doctors started being killed, she started to wear a gun.
No matter how you feel about abortion, this is a story from a point of view that hasn’t been told.
It would be very interesting to read a book about abortion from the perspective of a doctor who provides abortions. I am pro-choice, but I know it must be a difficult choice to make. I’m adding this book to my TBR, thanks so much for sharing. Haze @ Haze in a Happy Daze
I read this book about 6 months ago and I also was fascinated by the perspective. Here’s a link to my post:
https://maphead.wordpress.com/2014/11/17/this-common-secret-by-susan-wicklund/
What an interesting perspective!
I’ve been thinking about this topic recently. There are some parallels between the violence toward abortion providers, then, and the violence toward police officers, now. How much, if at all, should we blame the accompanying non-violent pro-life and #blacklivesmatter movements for the violence of an extremist and/or disturbed few?
I know my answer, back then, was different than it is now. Although it’s not just a matter of what side of the debate I’m coming from. Since then, I’ve experienced being in a community visited by violence and I learned that there are real limits you can put on the conclusions you draw from the actions of a mad man. And, also, that the media will simplify the story and attempt to draw conclusions that are unwarranted.
And, of course, the question applies to Muslims and terrorism, as well.
It also made me think about the fine line between legitimate protest and harrassment.
This would be a difficult story to read about. I think in this debate, it’s important to think about both sides. Thanks for linking up to Quote Me Thursday!
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