Watch When Abortion Was Illegal: Untold Stories

When Abortion Was Illegal: Untold Stories from 1992 is a powerful and moving documentary that tells the stories of women who had abortions before the landmark Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade in 1973. The film, directed by award-winning filmmaker Dorothy Fadiman and narrated by Angela Parker, combines interviews with women who had illegal abortions, medical professionals who treated them, and historians who provide context and analysis.

The film takes viewers back to a time when abortion was illegal in every state except in cases where the life of the mother was at risk. Women who needed abortions had few options: they could try to find a sympathetic doctor who would perform the procedure in secret, they could travel to a country where abortion was legal, or they could attempt to self-abort using dangerous and potentially lethal methods.

The women who share their stories in the film describe the fear, shame, and desperation they felt as they sought out abortions. Some of them were teenagers who became pregnant by accident, others were married women who couldn't afford to have another child, and some were victims of rape or incest. All of them faced enormous barriers in accessing safe and legal abortion care.

The film also explores the impact of illegal abortion on the medical profession. Doctors who performed abortions risked losing their licenses and facing criminal charges, and many were unwilling to take that risk. This left women with few options for safe and legal abortion care and put them in the hands of untrained and often unscrupulous providers.

Through interviews with medical professionals who treated women with botched abortions, the film illustrates the devastating physical and emotional toll that illegal abortion had on women. Some suffered from infections, hemorrhaging, and other complications that required hospitalization, while others faced chronic pain and infertility.

One of the strengths of the film is its focus on the voices of the women who had illegal abortions. Their stories are powerful and personal, and they provide a window into a world that few people today remember or understand. The film is also full of historical context, including interviews with legal experts who explore the legal and political landscape of the 1960s and early 1970s and explain the impact of the Roe v. Wade decision.

Ultimately, When Abortion Was Illegal: Untold Stories from 1992 is a powerful reminder of the importance of reproductive freedom and the devastating consequences of denying women access to safe and legal abortion care. The film is a must-see for anyone interested in women's health, reproductive justice, and the history of the fight for abortion rights in the United States.