Celebrate the Anniversary of 1969 Redstockings Abortion Speakout
Join us in celebrating the 40th anniversary of the 1969 Redstockings Abortion Speakout, where women first spoke publicly about their then-illegal abortions.
Women testified about their dangerous experiences with back-alley abortions, or having to bring a pregnancy to term and give the baby up for adoption. The historic event took place here in the West Village to a crowd of 300 people. Speakouts then spread around the country like wildfire, sparking the Women’s Liberation Movement that has won us Roe and so much more.
Panelists will discuss this historic event and we will honor veteran feminists Ros Baxandall and Susan Brownmiller, who both attended the original ’69 speakout. Baxandall courageously spoke out about her own experiences in ’69 and Brownmiller wrote an article about the speakout for the Village Voice, Everywoman’s Abortions: ‘The Oppressor is Man.’
With this backdrop, the event will explore how we can use this history in our activism today to win more. Literature and CDs from the Redstockings Women’s Liberation Archives for Action will be available for sale at a low cost (all proceeds benefit the Archive).
Date: Thursday, March 5th, 2009 from 7 – 9pm
Location: Judson Memorial Church
239 Thompson St (at West 3rd St) in the Assembly Hall
Subway: ACE/BDFV to West 4th
More Information: Erin Mahoney at 646-853-7100 or [email protected]
Sponsored by: The Women’s Liberation Birth Control Project and Social Wage Committee with inspiration and source materials from the Redstockings Women’s Liberation Archives for Action
Cosponsors: New Jersey National Organization for Women, Brooklyn-Queens National Organization for Women, Center for Constitutional Rights, Redstockings Women’s Liberation Archives for Action, The Center for Reproductive Rights, Fordham Chapter of Law Students for Reproductive Justice, Joy of Resistance Multicultural Feminist Radio on WBAI 99.5fm, A Better Balance, and Judson Memorial Church