Generation Roe: Inside the Future of the Pro-Choice Movement

by Sarah Erdreich

Strong support among women was key to Obama’s reelection. At the start of his second term, it is time for Barack Obama, forty years after  Roe v. Wade , to finally help lead us to demystify abortion. One-third of all American women will have an abortion by the time they are 45, and most of those women are already mothers. Yet, the topic remains taboo. In this provocative book on the heels of the Planned Parenthood controversy, Sarah Erdreich presents the antidote to the usual abortion debates.

Inextricably connected to issues of autonomy, privacy, and sexuality, the abortion debate remains home base for the culture wars in America. Yet, there is more common ground than meets the eye in favor of choice. Generation Roe  delves into phenomena such as "abortion-recovery counseling," "crisis pregnancy centers," and the infamous anti-choice "black children are an endangered species" billboards. It tells the stories of those who risk their lives to pursue careers in this stigmatized field. And it outlines the outrageous legislative battles that are being waged against abortion rights all over the country. With an inspiring spirit and a forward-looking approach, Erdreich holds abortion up, unabashedly, as a moral and fundamental human right.

Genres: Feminism, Nonfiction, Politics, History, Gender and Sexuality, Gender, Social Issues

269 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2013

Reviews

[Chris Loves to Read · Rating 3 out of 5]

It didn't tell me anything I didn't already know... Conservative Christian white men (because 99% of these anti-choice organizations are run by men)want to deny assess to ALL reproductive health choices (yes, ladies, their end-game is to outlaw birth control, not just abortion) for women. How else can they gain back the advances women have made over the past 40 years. So, get off your ass and get involved. This affects all of us.

[Kaylee Wahl-Cox · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such an important and necessary read for all.

[Peacegal · Rating 3 out of 5]

While this is not the most exciting read, it is an important one. While the mainstream media break occasional stories about the efforts to restrict abortion and birth control, Generation Roe collects these efforts into one source, making it much easier to understand in what way these services are under attack by anti-abortion legislators and organizations.

My favorite chapter dealt with the way abortion is handled (or rather, not handled) in mainstream entertainment. The author is absolutely correct when she states that abortion is almost never depicted as an acceptable choice in popular movies and TV shows. Either it is not mentioned at all, as if it doesn’t even exist, or it is brought up and then just as quickly rejected. If a character is faced with an unwanted pregnancy, she either has the child anyway and it instantly becomes The Best Thing that Ever Happened to Me ™ or has an oh-so-convenient miscarriage before she can make up her mind.

The obvious explanation for this is that TV and movie creators fear backlash from pro-lifers. Organizations such as the American Family Association may hold boycotts of the TV show’s sponsors or stage protests in front of movie theaters. No producer wants to deal with that mess, so it’s easier to just pretend the whole issue doesn’t exist. I would suggest that there is another reason the mainstream media promote the anti-abortion point of view. Who sponsors and funds TV shows? Advertisers, of course. And if you’re trying to sell something to the masses, you need lots of people. It behooves advertisers to have as many potential customers around as possible-- even unwanted children in the foster system will need to be kept in soft drinks and sneakers.

And now—a story.

I went to high school in a small town in West Virginia. In our Government class we frequently discussed controversial current events, and every student had to participate. One day that topic was abortion. In our entire (large) class, only two students—myself and a male student—thought that abortion should remain legal. The teacher challenged the students—what about in the case of rape or incest? What if having the baby would kill the woman? While a couple students waffled at that, the vast majority stayed firm—even in the case of rape, incest, or death of the mother, all abortion should be illegal. (This is the same oh-so-compassionate class that loved to talk about how funny it is to run over cats and other animals intentionally with one’s car, and how stupid people who care about animals are. Yeah, I’m not bitter.)

A few years later, I was in college. Once again, small town West Virginia. However, when a professor offhandedly asked the students in one of my classes if anyone believed that abortion should be made across-the-board-illegal, not a single hand went up. I think there is a distinct reason for this. Despite being big talkers, most high school students really aren’t that sexually active. By the time they’ve hit college, they may have experienced a pregnancy scare of their own and suddenly have to contemplate what such a thing would do to their life, their finances, their schooling, and their career plans. Suddenly hard-line views become a lot more nuanced.

[Morgan Dhu · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sarah Erdreich's book, The Roe Generation, looks at the current state of reproductive choice access and politics from the perspective of those she calls "the Roe generation - those for whom abortion has always been legal, but has also always been a topic of public discussion and controversy.

Erdreich covers a great deal of territory in this book. She begins with an overview of the history of abortion in the US, including the role that credentialisation played in the elimination of lay-midwives experienced in abortion from the health care scene and the pro-nativist concern over falling birthrate of white women that lay behind much of the early anti-abortion rhetoric.

Adding context to her research through extensive interviews with interviews with abortion providers, pro-choice activists, non-medical personnel who work in abortion clinics, students considering becoming abortion providers, and others involved in the reproductive rights movement, Erdreich examines such important topics as:

- the current state of training around abortion care and contraception in medical schools and the efforts of anti-choice organisations to further erode access to training

- strategies used by anti-choice activists to restrict access to abortion through legislation and court challenges that have the long-range goal of overturning Roe v. Wade

- the strong focus on family in anti-choice rhetoric, and how its emphasis on the fetus and on the damage to women from "post abortion syndrome" infantilises women and perpetuates the idea that what everyone really wants is a tradition family focused on child-rearing

- media representations of women seeking abortions and the very few instances in popular media where women choose abortion as a valid and positive option.

Erdreich concludes her examination of abortion with a critique of established pro-choice organisations as bureaucratic, inflexible, and not prepared to make effective use of modern communications and social media in organising. She stresses the need for more aggressive planning and action by pro-choice organisations and supporters to turn the tide of increasing barriers and restrictions on abortions, and advocates greater grassroots involvement. Finally, she talks about something every pro-choice supporter can do - help to normalise the idea of abortion rights by discussing it in the same way as any other public policy issue. Ending the atmosphere of shame and secrecy about reproductive choices is, Erdreich argues, a major step toward being able to see contraception and abortion as normal life issues.

[S.E. Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Superb overview of current issues facing the reproductive rights movement, including a thorough discussion of legal subjects, medicine, and social attitudes. Erdreich also challenges some of the movement's tactics directly, asking readers to consider what's working and what's not in a text thoroughly grounded by detailed interviews with activists working on the ground and in advocacy organisations.

[Shunt27 · Rating 4 out of 5]

A compelling summary of the current state of reproductive rights, Sarah Erdreich's forthright book will challenge how you think about your role in the fight to make sure every child born in this country can be wanted, healthy and supported. I dare even those who believe themselves ardently pro-choice to read it and not rethink how they can do more to ensure families' rights are protected!

[Caitlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nuanced and extremely well researched. I follow repro-rights closely and thought I knew most of what there was to know about abortion, contraception, and the debates around it; Erdreich drew connections and parallels I hadn't thought of and changed how I think about reproductive rights. Accessible and fascinating read.

[Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

Comprehensive look at the past and future of the pro choice movement. Highly recommend if you’re not familiar with it. I’m pretty familiar with it, but this was still a quick, enjoyable read.

[Giovanni Bartolozzi · Rating 2 out of 5]

I feel like two stars is a bit harsh, but I do not think I can rate it 2.75!
The book is an ok read. Sometimes, I feel like I am reading random dialogue more than Sarah's actual thoughts on the matter. It can make the book look like a high school essay where you are told to quote literally everything. I think if she would put more of her interpretation into it and then lead it up with ways to fix it, it would be better.
The content of the book is also decent. I think some of the stuff she mentions is extremely important to note, like how medical schools are not teaching people about women's health and contraceptives because there is a weird stigma surrounding it. I think not making abortion a taboo topic would help us as a culture as well. But I also think she should make her arguments for abortion help more ground if that makes sense. I know she mentioned it not being a philosophy book. Therefore, she isn't going to focus much on the ethics of abortion, but you need to refrain from talking about abortion being amazing due to how women feel. Her arguments in the beginning that are pushing for abortion seem to be a bit lackluster. The argument that it must be good because these women needed it does not help prove abortion is good.
I do not want to write an essay, but I wanted to give a few opinions for myself and others if they happen to see this. I would recommend it to someone who does not have much knowledge in this stuff like I do because it did help me learn some things!

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

READ IT. Goodreads limits space, so highlights only-35% of white, 30% black & 25% of hispanic women have abortions by 45. Only 3.8 percent in 2nd trimester, 1.5% later than 20 weeks and abortions cost more each week of pregnancy up to 17k in 2013. Only .17 are partial birth usually to identify deformities by autopsy. Zlso, miscarriages are considered abortions if the fetus is removed. 24 hour waiting periods disclosure to parentsand mandatory vaginal ultrasounds, out of state travel required in some states. 87% & 97 of rural areas have no providers. 76 percent expressed relief and expressed if illegal would have one anyway.anti choice groups misinform age of fetus a 6 week old doesn’t have hair and hands and no pain is felt until after 24 weeks and the catholic church approved of abortion until then until 1869. 18 percent of maternal deaths caused by abortion before legalization, now less than 1% have any complications. 75 % of drs do not receive training planned parenthood largely provides separate from medical programs. The disgusting things they do to the drs that do choose to perform these including killing, fire bombing clinics, exposing their private addresses and phine numbers and picketing their homes, harassing their children at school absolutely disgusted me, especially the “Christian” CPC.s that harass nearby clinics and claim birth control and condoms are ineffective and guilt and scare people into having babies. Definitely worth a read and 10 years later all their fears of Roe being overturned were correct.

[Laurie Summer · Rating 4 out of 5]

An important and informative look at the threats to reproductive freedom. As the book is more than a few years old, it does not address the most recent events. But it helped me understand how we got here.

[Sabrina Tosto · Rating 4 out of 5]

Incredible! So much information that I had NO IDEA of! One of the most interesting pieces of information that I learned had to do with the medically unnecessary laws that states have placed on abortion clinics, for example the heights of the ceiling, the lawn in the front yard, etc. As all good authors should, Erdreich examines the women's health movement from the lens of those it affects most drastically--women of color.

One of the most unsettling themes in the novel was actually not intended by the author at all, but is due to the publication date of this book--2013. While the novel focuses mainly on the women and people who grew up pre and during Roe, there is much to be said about the recent overturning of Roe V Wade, and unfortunately, Erdreich does not get to discuss the repercussions of this life-altering SCOTUS decision.

[Bonnie McDaniel · Rating 3 out of 5]

This little book is a good primer on the state of the pro-choice movement in America. It was written in 2012, long before the recent Supreme Court decision striking down HB 2, Texas' terrible abortion law, and thus is somewhat pessimistic about the movement's future. Despite the recent SCOTUS victory, abortion rights are still under siege in many areas of the country, as this book points out.

Topics include "Hands-Off Training," discussing the (lack of) training offered by many medical schools in how to perform abortions; "(Mis)Representations of Reality," pointing out the distorted view of abortions, a common medical procedure (1 in 3 American women has an abortion during her reproductive lifetime), offered on TV and movies; and "I Went to the March for Life, and All I Got Was This Lousy Fear of Choice," the chronicle of the author attending the March for Life and visiting a so-called "Crisis Pregnancy Center." The most interesting part of the latter section is the author's recounting of literature she picked up in said CPC, and how dishonest it is. From page 197:

"I knew going into this CPC that I would not receive any pro-choice information. But I was still shocked at just how factually inaccurate and misleading the abortion information actually was. Just because a clinic is 'faith-based,' as the woman I met with pointed out--to say nothing of not 'abortion-minded'--does not give it the right to provide women and their partners with lies."

Huh. Well, color me shocked (not).

This book is well-written but doesn't tackle its subjects in any great depth, unlike another book I recently read on the topic, Katha Pollitt's Pro: Reclaiming Abortion Rights. It's certainly worth reading, however.

[Kay · Rating 3 out of 5]

Erdreich does a great job of putting the modern pro-choice movement into context. Though I think the book contained lots of useful information, I'd say one of the failings from my perspective is that lots of this information is stuff I'm already pretty familiar with, given how much time I've spent reporting on these issues. I also wished she spend more time delving into the poling information and focus groups to talk about the generational shifts in the pro-choice movement. She spends much of that chapter relating quotes from interviews with leaders in the pro-choice movement of different generations -- useful, for sure, but I would've loved to see it pared with hard numbers. And through no fault of Erdreich's own, much has happened in the abortion debate since her book went to press.

One of the best parts of this book was about the abortion providers. She talks to medical students about the barriers to becoming an abortion provider. For many, it's not just that those on their way to becoming doctors have to largely opt in to learning about the procedure (and, shockingly, spend only about an hour in medical school discussing it), but it's also about deciding what kind of medical practitioner they want to become. Because abortion has become so politicized, there are so few providers. This means that those who do choose to become abortion providers end up only performing abortions. It is these early chapters where the book really shines.

Ultimately this was a well-researched and thoughtful look at the pro-choice movement. It's an ongoing story, one that is far from finished.

[Laura Ellyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

(What follows are notes from my book log/journal.)

"In her interview with me several years ago, Raina Aronowitz mentioned that she brings up abortion "at the bar" when she is out with her friends... Why shouldn't abortion be just one more subject that friends and acquaintances can discuss in casual settings, on casual occasions? Treating abortion like just another controversial topic demystifies it, makes it less of a capital-T topic; it removes that whole "movie of the week" vibe that so many people still associate with addressing controversial and personal topics."

NOTES:
-Very substantial in terms of interviews and investigative writing.
-Was at times a little cavalier for my taste - for example, the quote I pulled does not really allow for the idea that some women may not be comfortable with their personal abortion experiences being bar conversation.
-HOWEVER, the author does a lot to demystify not only abortion but the experiences and beliefs of pro-choicers in a way that is empowering rather than voyeuristic and I get where she is coming from.
-Also emphasizes the dangers of ignoring anti-choice activism.
-Did a good job of blending media analysis, policy analysis and first-hand accounts.

Further thoughts:

I bought this mostly on impulse and wasn't really expecting much, but it's a solid piece of reporting that does what it sets out to do. I think more books like this are needed.

[Diana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant and thought-provoking, this concise yet thorough history of the pro-choice movement touches on topics and issues that even the most adamant of reproductive choice proponents may have overlooked or short-changed. Highlighting progress as well as present threats to women's freedom to make vital personal decisions including not only legal barriers but lack of available medical training/medical personnel, facilities, funding and access for at-risk populations, as well as rhetoric from both sides, Erdreich's arguments are presented clearly, with compelling and surprisingly non-polarizing evidence from science, statistics, and personal stories. Galvanizing and poignant, rather than only rattling sabers and shouting slogans, Erdreich's book encourages conversation as well as action, that all thougtful and caring people may arrive at an understanding of the rightful role of reproductive freedom in the strength of the American family and the fabric of democracy.

[Elizabeth Gray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Abortion is a complicated issue, and forty years after Roe v Wade, this book was was written to explore the issues surrounding abortion. It is mentioned in the book that the anti-choice movement has realized that if there are no qualified doctors performing abortions, the procedure will not be done. The book goes into detail the hoops medical students must go through in order to perform abortions legally. In bringing up the case against Kermit Gosnell, the book suggests that instead of addressing the fact that there were so many poor women who could not afford to go anywhere but to an unsafe practitioner, the state of Pennsylvania simply passed reactive anti-choice laws. Chapter of note on how abortion is portrayed in media, and how many viewers are reached. The book also goes into the apathy that makes it possible for anti-choice laws to be passed, and muses on the future of the pro-choice movement.

[Northlake Public Library District · Rating 1 out of 5]

The problem with this book wasn't that I didn't agree with its message (I am, in fact, one of those 'radical' pro-choicers referred to in the book: I believe in abortion, on demand, without apology, and with absolutely no legislative restrictions). Rather, the issue was that not only was the book not particularly well-written, but it also didn't have anything new to add to the conversation. Disappointing.

[Ann · Rating 1 out of 5]

The problem with this book wasn't that I didn't agree with its message (I am, in fact, one of those 'radical' pro-choicers referred to in the book: I believe in abortion, on demand, without apology, and with absolutely no legislative restrictions). Rather, the issue was that not only was the book not particularly well-written, but it also didn't have anything new to add to the conversation. Disappointing.

[Ellen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick but thorough overview with some commentary/ insights about the state of the debate over abortion rights in the US in the beginning of the 21st century. I didn't hear any analysis I hadn't read before, but it was a nicely done overview of milestones in the movement and the tensions between big, historic organizations and smaller, grassroots organizing.

[Julie · Rating 1 out of 5]

One star, not for being poorly written but because I cannot agree with its basic premise.

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

While there wasn't a lot of new material for me I do think its important to see why abortion was made illegal in the first place and the racist and misogynistic reasons behind it

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book and gives good insight on the current state of abortion rights.

[Cadie Holmes · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was raised strictly anti-choice and was looking for a good overview on abortion and its history. This was not that book. While I was able to take some ideas away from the book, I wish I had waited to read it until I had a better grasp on the subject.