Prompt Cast
The History of DIY Abortions and the Fight for Reproductive Rights
TLDR The Oklahoma legislature has passed a bill that would severely restrict access to abortions, highlighting the ongoing battle over reproductive rights in the United States. This podcast episode explores the story of Carol and the self-helpers, a group of women who performed DIY abortions and fought for better treatment and education about women's bodies.
Timestamped Summary
00:00
The Oklahoma legislature has approved a bill that would lead to a near total ban on abortions in the state, with those who perform abortions facing up to 10 years in prison and a $100,000 fine, and this is part of a larger trend of US states passing restrictive abortion laws.
05:05
Carol, a woman in the 1960s, shares her harrowing experience of having an illegal abortion and the dangerous aftermath.
10:13
Carol attends a feminist meeting and realizes that she can learn how to perform abortions herself, leading her to become an abortion apprentice and eventually recruit other women to join her.
15:02
Carol demonstrates how an abortion works by using a speculum and inviting women to look, which leads her to realize the importance of teaching women about their bodies and leads her to start hosting speculum parties.
19:53
Carol's speculum parties and demonstrations led to the creation of a movement called the self-helpers, who aimed to teach women about their bodies and push for better treatment from doctors, and Carol also taught women how to perform abortions.
24:38
The self-helpers, a movement started by Carol Downer, taught women about their bodies and performed abortions using a DIY abortion kit that was safe and effective.
28:55
The self-helpers' underground abortions were generally safer than other back alley abortions, but still carried risks such as infections and the need for repeat procedures, and the group was eventually caught and shut down by the police.
33:02
After a trial centered around the use of yogurt as evidence, Carol and the self-helpers were found not guilty of practicing medicine without a license, and soon after the trial, the landmark case of Roe v. Wade was decided, effectively legalizing abortions in the United States.
38:04
Francie and her girlfriend Yael successfully used a modified menstrual extraction kit to get pregnant, leading to the birth of their son in 1978.
