Free and Voluntary Abortion Is Every Woman’s Right
Women's Liberation
This Chicago Women’s Liberation Union leaflet discusses the accessibility to abortion resources for women with unwanted pregnancy. Citing the physical and legal ramifications stemming from the contemporary abortion laws in the U.S., this leaflet touches upon the themes of sterilization, birth control, and global population increase in the late-1960s and 1970s.
According to the Encyclopedia of Chicago, the Chicago Women’s Liberation Union was formed in 1969. The founding members were Naomi Weisstein, Vivian Rothstein, Heather Booth, and Ruth Surgal. The group's goals under women’s liberation were to halt sexism and unequal opportunity for all women. Under the branch of unequal opportunity was women’s access to healthcare. The CWLU is best known for the pamphlet that was published in 1972 called “Socialist Feminism: A Strategy for the Women’s Movement.” The pamphlet made a national mark and put the CWLU on the map as an agent of change for women’s rights. Many chapters of Women’s Liberation were linked through the work they published, allowing women’s rights to gain influence across the country. One of the Chicago chapter's goals as an organization was to raise consciousness of women’s issues. This leaflet raises consciousness about abortion resources and their accessibility for women with unwanted pregnancies. It was also used as a measure to reject the current U.S. abortion laws and gain support to repeal them. Building on the notion of population increase, the pamphlet illustrates the stance that the CWLU had on the legalization of Abortion and the opposition to the American Medical Association. At the end of the leaflet there is a number provided for the Jane Collective. This was an underground abortion counseling service located in Chicago that ran from 1969 to 1973 and collectively performed approximately 11,000 abortions.
Chicago Women’s Liberation Union
Roz Payne
Center for Digital Research in the Humanities, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
ca. late-1960s or early-1970s
mimeograph
leaflet
The Women’s Abortion Project of NYC Women’s Liberation
Women's Liberation
Based in New York City, New York, this newsletter targeted second-wave feminists serving as resources for women seeking healthy and safe abortions throughout the United States. The Health and Abortion Project sought to provide resources and guidance for women needing abortions. While providing information on the Health and Abortion Project’s goals, this newsletter underlines the significance of contraception, abortion, and reproductive health for the second-wave feminist movement.
The Health and Abortion Project
Roz Payne
Center for Digital Research in the Humanities, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
ca. early-1970s
flyer
Sexual Revolution Readings
Women's Liberation
This mimeographed resource contains selected essays and manifestos related to second-wave feminism and reproductive health, with special attention to sexuality, race, class, and gender. Essays included: “Sexuality,” by Roxanne Dunbar; “Masturbation”; “Women-Identified Woman” by the Radicalesbians; and “Abortion or Genocide?” The goal of this resource was to help women raise their consciousness about sexual health, sexuality and contraception.
In the Know, Inc.
Roz Payne
Center for Digital Research in the Humanities, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
ca. early-1970
mimeograph
pamphlet
The Griffin: News of Gay Liberation
Gay Liberation Movement
Based in Hartford, Connecticut, the October and November 1971 issue of the Kalos Society’s publication The Griffin reports events pertaining to Gay Liberation organizations, pride festivals, the picketing of municipal ordinances against public gatherings in local parks, city elections, and communal resources on venereal diseases and sex education. This newsletter discusses themes such as public health, sexual health, and political action as organized by the locally-based Kalos Society.
The Kalos Society – Gay Liberation Front
Roz Payne
Center for Digital Research in the Humanities, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
1971
underground press
Venereal Disease
Sexual Health
This pamphlet details venereal disease, syphilis, gonorrhea , symptoms and lack of symptoms, testing and diagnosis, testing for cure, complications and treatments, funding, prevention, important facts on vd.
Health Organizing Collective with
Ney York Women's Health and Abortion Project
Roz Payne
Center for Digital Research in the Humanities, University of Nebraska-Lincoln