My Mom was an RN in Chicago in the 1950’s. She spoke of “losing” 4 women in her care (the women died), to botched abortions. Also pre-Roe, one of my best friends spoke of being driven blindfolded in a taxi cab, to an apartment where she got an abortion.
During early post Roe (1973-4-ish) my sister got pregnant, she was in high school. My parents were devout Christians and she wouldn’t tell them. She wanted an abortion and I drove her to the clinic on either Ohio or Ontario St. My boyfriend at the time and I brought her a terrarium when we picked her up. By this time my mother was teaching nursing at Purdue-Calumet. A nurse at the clinic also knew my Mom from being in one of her classes, and told my Mom. Mom told my Dad who was not very understanding. My sister has told noone in the family.
During the following years my Dad, a doctor, was on again and off again pro and anti choice depending on which radio station he listened to. This was difficult for my Mom because she always remembered the 4 women. She brought up the 4 women to anyone who was anti choice to her face.
When one of my daughters was at U of I-Urbana, she helped distribute Plan B pills at Quad Day, tossing them to people who walked by the table. Later she volunteered at Planned Parenthood in Chicago.
Jump a decade and one of my daughters had a sonogram at about 20 weeks into her first pregnancy. The fetus had numerous body openings and its organs were outside its body. She got a legal safe abortion.
–Anonymous 0005