After the Doc10 Film Festival’s opening night screening of “The Janes” on May 19, several original members urged The Jane Collective – an underground abortion clinic led by women in the pre-Roe v. Wade – Members of the public take to the streets focused on protecting women’s reproductive rights, which are now believed to be at risk with a new Supreme Court ruling in the works.
“The fighting isn’t over,” said Mary Lehner, Jane previously. “I just started.”
“The Janes” is one of 10 documentaries that will be shown during the four-day festival in Chicago. Doc10’s show “The Janes,” which premieres on HBO on June 8, has attracted more than 250 people — the largest audience for the festival in its seven-year history. Ten ex-Janes attended along with principals, Dr. Tia Lisin and Emma Beldes. The scrutiny came just 17 days after a leaked Supreme Court opinion suggested that Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 ruling legalizing abortion, may soon be repealed or reproductive rights drastically curtailed.
It would be horrible,” said Diane Stevens, the original member of Jane’s group. “There will be illegal things happening, women will die. Some will find someone to help them. They will find a doctor who is willing to do something risky. They will figure out a way to get drugs. It will be very similar to our time when things were perverted and illegal, but not everyone will find help. It is Really awful.”
Original members of The Janes at Doc10 show, from left: Mary Lehner, Sheila Smith, Martha Scott, Heather Booth, Diane Stevens, Eileen Smith, Judith Arkana, Katie, Patricia Novick, Jane Galitzer Levy
James Richards IV
From 1969 to 1972, Jane’s Group facilitated 11,000 safe and illegal abortions in the Chicago area. During a police raid in 1972, seven members were arrested and charged with multiple charges that could have resulted in 100 years in prison each. Any charges against them were eventually dropped due to the legalization of abortion the following year.
“It was very liberating when Roe v. Wade died,” Lehner said. “I was really shocked that the Supreme Court would completely nullify any right – a reproductive right – that is a human right.”
Heather Booth formed The Jane Group when she was a student at the University of Chicago in the 1960s.
“To overturn the most intimate decision in a person’s life about when, or with whom, I had a child, is an attack on the fundamental freedoms we have,” Booth said Thursday night after the examination. Any attack on freedom is tyranny and is linked to other attacks on freedoms in this country. Freedom to vote. The freedom to be a full citizen.”
The battle to dismantle Roe v. Wade has been underway for 50 years, and former Jane Eileen Smith said the pro-choice movement needed to take some notes from its opponents.
“We have to be focused and single-mindedly like [pro-life organizations] Smith said. “They don’t let all these other things get in their way; they keep their eyes on the prize. We’ll have to do that now as well. We’ll have to find politicians who will also do that and keep pushing it forward.”
Stevens adds, “The majority of people in this country support abortion. One in four women in this country have had an abortion. So, we just have to convince people to work harder. We have to get involved in the political system.”
In addition to “The Janes,” Doc10 will feature “Descendant,” “Nothing Lasts Forever,” “Let The Little Light Shine,” “Riotsville USA,” “The Territory,” “Fire of Love,” and “A House Made of Splinters” and “We feed the people.” In its six-year history, Doc10 has hosted 19 Oscar-nominated focus shows. Two of the documentaries – “Summer of Soul” and “American Factory” – were shown at the festival before winning the Oscar.
(Pictured, left to right: Mary Lehner, Sheila Smith, Martha Scott, Heather Booth, Diane Stevens, Eileen Smith, Judith Arkana, Katie, Patricia Novick, Jane Galitzer Levy.)
[ad_2]
