Street roots., July 05, 2013, Page 4, Image 4

4
street roots
J u l y 5 , 2013
A
C h ic a g o p o lic e m u g sh o t o f J u d it h A r c a n a ,
o n the co ver o f h e r n ew p u b lic a tio n , “K e e sh a
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a n d J o a n ie a n d J a n e . ”
J a n e w as the co m m o n n a m e g iv e n to the
A b o r tio n C o u n s e lin g S e r v ic e o f W o m e n s
L ib e r a tio n , w h ich w as a n u n d e r g ro u n d
w o m e n ’s h ea lth care se rvice in C h ic a g o in
EBERHARDT THEATRE
O F DRAM ATIC PUBLICATIONS
the late 6 0 s a n d early 70s. T h e w o m e n s
collective w as fo r m e d to a d d re ss the r is in g
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d isb a n d e d a fte r the R o e v. W ade d e cisio n
leg a lized a b o rtio n .
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BY ERIN FENNER
S T A F F W R IT E R
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[ " u d ith A r c a n a is ch e w in g on a p a stry
I w h ile s h e m u lls o v er w h y it is th a t U .S .
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T h a t w as a s tro n g m o tiv a tin g p re s s u re and
c o n c e r n an d is s u e an d p a ss io n fo r m e .
g ^X % *X % % *<^W ^v***»*****«*»*«vX -
I also c a re d a b o u t th e liv e s o f w o m e n ,
i 2 ¡ ! S ^ % % V . V . V « ‘ A % ^ % û « a o
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b e in g o n e , an d h a v in g m y s is te r s an d m y
c o lle a g u e s an d c o m r a d e s , th e o th e r Ja n e s ,
in all p a rts o f m y life . W o m e n ’s liv e s w e re
law m ak e rs p o liticiz e w o m e n ’s b o d ie s,
illu m in a te d in th o s e d a y s. E v e n e ra d ia te d .
u t th e n a to d d le r o n e b o o th o v er in th e
T h e le a rn in g c u r v e , it w a s n ’t e v e n a c u r v e , it
sm all café p itc h e s h e r v o ic e in to a g id d y
w as an e x p lo s io n . A ll th is s tu ff w e n e v e r
s c re a m .
k n e w w as su d d e n ly b e c o m in g a v a ilab le. T h is
“W ell g o o d ,” A r c a n a la u g h s , “ L e t th e m
w as b e fo re ‘O u r B o d ie s O u r s e lv e s ’ p u b lish e d
e x e r c is e th e ir lu n g s. T h e y lo o k lik e g irls.
as a b o o k . I t w as an eig h t-p a g e n e w s p rin t
T h e y sh o u ld k n o w h o w to s h o u t.”
p a m p h le t th a t w e c a r r ie d aro u n d in o u r
A v e te ra n o f th e p ro -ch o ice m o v e m e n t,
b a c k p a c k s lik e co n tra b a n d .
A rc a n a h a s e x p e r ie n c e in v a rio u s
A n d th e r e w e re tw o little sim ila r b o o k lets
a p p ro a ch e s to e n s u re w o m e n ’s a c c e s s to
fro m M c G ill U n iv e r s ity m e d ica l sch o o l in
re p ro d u ctiv e h e a lth c a re . B e fo r e th e R o e v.
C a n a d a . O n e ca lle d th e B ir th C o n tro l
W ade d e c is io n m a d e a b o rtio n le g a l in th e
H a n d b o o k an d o n e ca lle d th e V D H a n d b o o k .
U .S ., A rc a n a w as p a rt o f th e u n d e rg ro u n d
W e c a rrie d th is s tu ff aro u n d . It w as
C h ic a g o a b o rtio n s e r v ic e c a lle d Ja n e . Ja n e
e n o rm o u s ly e x c itin g to h ave th is in fo rm a tio n
fa cilita te d m o re th a n 11,000 safe a b o rtio n
ísaB > ;
tJ Ä
p ro c e d u re s - m a n y o f th e v o lu n te e rs w ere
a b o rtio n p ro v id ers and se x -h e a lth e d u c a to rs .
S h e ’s a w rite r, a te a c h e r an d an activ ist;
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z ;
BY JUDITH A R CA N A
an d says w h a t sh e w a n ts in d is c u s s io n , n o t
p o s tu rin g . S h e w a n ts p e o p le fro m all
b a ck g ro u n d s to c o m e to g e th e r an d ta lk
a b o u t w o m e n ’s h e a lth an d th e p o litics
aro u n d th a t. T h a t ’s w h y s h e p u t to g e th e r
h e r m o s t r e c e n t w o rk , “ K e e s h a an d Jo a n ie
an d J a n e ,” w h ich d e lv e s in to th e
c o n v e rsa tio n s th a t w o m e n h a v e a b o u t
re p ro d u ctiv e h e a lth an d h o w e a c h w a n ts to
e x p lo re th a t is s u e .
S t r e e t R o o ts s a t dow n w ith A rc a n a to c h a t
available to us. We examined our own
b o d ie s , w e e x a m in e d e a c h o th e r s ’ b o d ie s.
W e to ld o th e r w o m e n and g irls how to do
th is.
S o th e r e w as th e c o n te n t aro u n d
Judith Arcana
The reproductive rights maverick talks
about the Janes o f yesterday and today
a b o u t h e r n e w z in e an d ho w co n v e rsa tio n
c o n tra c e p tio n an d a b o rtio n an d rep ro d u ctiv e
r ig h ts an d re p ro d u ctiv e h e a lth , an d th e n
th e r e w as th e la rg e r s e n s ib ility o f c o m in g to
c o n s c io u s n e s s as fe m a le p e r s o n s in th is
p a rtic u la r c o u n tr y a t th a t p a rtic u la r tim e .
M y g e n e r a tio n , I am 70 y e a rs o ld r ig h t now,
c a m e th ro u g h th a t.
T h e c u r r e n t p e o p le an d g e n e ra tio n w ho
are th a t a g e th a t I w as th e n , are c o m in g
th ro u g h a m u c h h a rd e r an d m u c h m o re
p a in fu l tim e . I t ’s a tim e o f c lo s in g , r a th e r
aro u n d a b o rtio n is s u e s . I t ’s m o re th a n ju s t
a b o u t th e s e th in g s o v er 40 y e a rs a g o , an d in
th a n o p e n in g . I t ’s a tim e o f a p p lica tio n o f
tw o s id e s . A n d th a t’s p a rt o f th e n arra tiv e as
th a t tim e , in th e U n ite d S ta te s , th e
th e v e r y p re s s u re th a t w e w e re re lie v in g
w e ll, is th a t it is m o re th a n ju s t a tw o-sided
a tm o sp h e re aro u n d b o th re p ro d u ctiv e
o u rs e lv e s of: in o u r p e r s o n a l liv e s , v e r y
is s u e .
O n e th in g I rea lly ca re a b o u t is th e
h e a lth , in g e n e ra l, w o m e n ’s re p ro d u ctiv e
p riv a te ly , an d in th e s tr e e ts .
b e e n w o rk in g o n a c o lle c tio n o f s to r ie s . T h e
m u ltip licity o f p o s itio n s. I w a n t a d e p th , and
a b o rtio n w as v ery , v e ry , v e r y d iffe re n t th a n
fe ro c io u s ly p is s e d o ff. T h e y a re w o rk in g in
s to rie s h a v e tw o p rim a ry th in g s , o r to p ics:
d en sity , an d c o m p le x ity u n d e rsto o d . I w a n t
w h a t it is now .
th e ir tim e , in th e ir w ay, an d th e r e is s o m e
O n e is ta tto o in g an d th e o th e r is ab o rtio n ;
it o u t th e re in th e w orld and I w a n t it
an d th e co llis io n s an d c o m in g to g e th e r o f
u n d e rsto o d . I w a n t a lo t. T h e n a rra tiv e , as
c lo s in g dow n. I t w as a tim e in w h ich p e o p le
th e s e .
O n e o f th o s e s to rie s is ca lle d “ K e e s h a
yo u p u t it, is n arro w and sim p le-m in d ed and
w e re re a lizin g , th a t to live fully, w e —
d iffe r e n c e s b e tw e e n th e g e n e r a tio n s , to
d o e s n o t s e r v e an y o f u s w e ll. N o t c h ild re n ,
e v e ry o n e , n o t ju s t w o m e n — n e e d e d to be
m a k e it lo o k lik e th e r e is a g r e a te r d iv isio n
n o t w o m e n , n o t m e n , fo r th a t m a tte r.
ab le to m ak e c o n s c io u s c h o ic e s and
b e tw e e n u s th a n th e r e is . S o , I ’m c o n c e r n e d
d e cis io n s a b o u t w h a t w o u ld h a p p e n in o u r
a b o u t th a t an d I a m a n g r y a b o u t th a t, b u t at
ca n b e u s e d to a d v a n ce w o m e n ’s r ig h ts .
E.F.:
W h a t is the “J a n e B i l l ? ”
J . A . : O v e r th e la s t se v e ra l y e a rs I have
an d Jo a n ie an d J a n e .” T h e p u b lis h e r o f th is
h e a lth , s p e cifica lly , an d c o n tra c e p tio n and
I t w as a tim e o f o p e n in g up r a th e r th a n
I ta lk to y o u n g w o m e n , an d th e y are
o v erlap .
I s u s p e c t th a t th e m e d ia s e iz e s o n th e
zin e cre a te d a p a ro d y o f th e playbill ca lle d
I w a n t all o f u s to ta lk a b o u t th e relativ e
“Ja n e B ill” an d m a d e th a t th e w h o le fo rm ,
is s u e s as s e rio u s ly an d p e rso n a lly as w e ca n .
lives; to w h a te v e r e x te n t w e c o u ld h ave an y
th e s a m e tim e w h a t re a lly m a tte r s m o s t is
w h ich I a ctu a lly th in k is b rillia n t and
N e e d le s s to say, w e c a n ’t do th a t in e v e ry
co n tro l.
a ctu a lly h a v in g th e c o n v e rs a tio n s w ith
w o n d e rfu l. T h is p ie c e , I b e lie v e , is u s e fu l fo r
v e n u e . T h e r e are p e o p le th a t w e d o n ’t w a n t
u s in o u r th in k in g now w h e n tim e s are
to te ll o u r d e e p e s t th o u g h ts an d fe e lin g s
T h e R o e v. W ade d e c is io n c a m e dow n.
te r r ib le .
R e a lly , th e re is n o p o in t in m a k in g n ice
to o . T h e r e a re , h ow ever, u su ally, p e o p le to
E d u c a tio n ch a n g e d , b o th in s c h o o ls an d o u t
w h o m w e are h a p p y to te ll th e th in g s th a t
o f s c h o o ls . W h e n I say e d u c a tio n , I m e a n in
a b o u t it. I t ’s a fe ro c io u s ly b ad tim e ,
rea lly m a tte r to u s . A n d also p e o p le w ith
th e la rg e s t s e n s e : p e o p le s e e k in g
h isto rica lly s p e a k in g , in te rm s o f
w h o m w e fe e l g o o d a rg u in g , w h ich is o n e o f
in fo rm a tio n . P e o p le le a rn in g , on th e g ro u n d ,
re p ro d u ctiv e ju s tic e , a b o rtio n a c c e s s ,
th in g s h a p p e n in g in th e s to ry in th e z in e . I
e v e ry w h e re . N o t ju s t in s c h o o l b u ild in g s , a t
th in g s . T h e Ja n e B ill, th e w o m e n w h o are in
did th a t o n p u rp o s e .
I w a n t th e a rg u m e n ts in th e ir v a rie ty and
an y le v e l.
th a t p a rticu la r sto ry , th e y are d o in g w h a t w e
co m p le x ity to e n c o u ra g e rea l p e o p le , in
'6 0 s an d I w as e s p e c ia lly in te re s te d in th e
— th o s e o f u s w h o ca re a b o u t th is — are
ad d itio n to m y fictio n a l p e o p le , to have
liv es o f ch ild re n and y o u n g p e o p le . A n d I
d o in g .
S o I am v e r y m u c h w a n tin g p e o p le to u s e
th o s e a rg u m e n ts , to h ave th o s e
w as m a d d e n e d , rea lly d riv en crazy , b y th e
co n v e rsa tio n s an d d is c u s sio n s.
id ea th a t w o m e n an d g irls w e re b e in g
w o m e n ’s re p ro d u ctiv e h e a lth , all o f th o s e
it p e rfo rm e d .
E.F.:
You ta lk a b o u t how y o u w a n t people to
u se this. W hy are y o u a p p ro a ch in g a ctivism
through a literary sta n d p o in t?
E.F.:
You m en tio n ed the issu e s a n d
a rg u m en ts. W h a t is differen t a b o u t the issu es
m in d le s sly o r h e lp le ss ly : th a t it w as n o t for
then a n d now a n d talk a b o u t o ld er a n d
a p e rso n . T a lk a b o u t an e n o rm o u s
y o u n g e r reproductive rig h ts a ctivists?
re sp o n sib ility and a tre m e n d o u s g ift. A n d if
th e m to d e cid e a b o u t w h a t it m e a n t to m ak e
y o u ’re n o t in a p o sitio n to ta k e on th a t
J . A . : E v e n w ith in th e g e n e ra tio n s , th e re
are lo ts o f d iffe re n c e s . I ca m e in to th in k in g
J . A . : T h e r e h a s b e e n a n arra tiv e b u ilt
I h ad b e e n a h ig h s c h o o l te a c h e r in th e
e n c o u ra g e d to “ m a k e p e o p le ” sim p ly
th is zin e fo r c o n s c io u s n e s s ra isin g , fo r
a c tio n , as a s p a rk , as a te a c h in g to o l. I w a n t
C o n s e q u e n tly , law s b e g a n fa llin g aw ay.
resp o n sib ility , o r to g iv e th a t g ift; yo u h a v e it
fo rce d on y o u , and th e re fo re on th e ch ild .
p e o p le w h o are d iffe r e n t th a n m e -
c e r ta in ly w ith w o m e n an d g irls w h o are
y o u n g e r th a n I a m . I ta k e g r e a t jo y in th a t
and I ta k e g r e a t c o m fo r t in m e e tin g y o u n g e r
w o m e n an d g irls w h o a re o n th e c a s e . A n d
th e r e are p le n ty o f th e m . I w a n t th a t o n th e
re c o rd .
E.F.:
Tell m e a b o u t the w ork y o u d id w ith
Ja n e .
J. A .:
In th e la te '6 0 s a n d e a r ly '7 0 s th e re
w as an o rg a n iz a tio n in C h ic a g o c a lle d th e
C h ic a g o W o m e n ’s L ib e r a tio n U n io n . A n d it
h a d a lo t o f w o rk g ro u p s th a t did e v e ry th in g
fro m te a c h in g w o m e n h o w to ta k e
a u to m o b ile e n g in e s a p a r t a n d p u t th e m b a ck
to g e th e r — ju s t lik e th e b o y s w e re allow ed to
do — to a g ro u p c a lle d th e L ib e r a tio n
See A RCA N A page 5