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With Liberty and Justice for All: A Life Spent Protecting the Right to Choose by Kate Michelman
erinmp's review
4.0
Kate Michelman's husband had unexpectedly left her and their three children. Shortly afterwards, with no money and a grim future, she discovers things actually can get worse--she's pregnant. Although Catholic, Michelman realizes that the only way she and her existing children can survive is if she has an abortion. Only problem is, it's 1969, three years before Roe v Wade legalized abortion. Michelman see no ther option but to be forced to appear in front of a panel of male doctors and answer humiliating questions about herself in order to attain a "theraputic abortion." It only gets worse when she's told that they have approved her, but since her divorce is not yet finalized, she has to get her estranged husband's permission. That horrifying experience is the basis for Michelman's long career as a champion for reproductive rights. Her memoir carefully details all of her experiences as president of NARAL and the obstacles the pro-choice movement has encountered. She gives an inside look at how the organization and herself dealt with one legislative threat (and often reality) after another. Through it all, Michelman also eloquently details why choice is so imperative for all Americans.
I really enjoyed this book. As an ardent supporter of choice (and more-often-than-not activist), I was quite interested in seeing how many potential (and actual) bills, laws and decisions came about. Knowing that organizations like NARAL work tirelessly for women's rights, I was still a little surprised at how they are able to cover and address every issue pertaining to choice (or not, as is sometimes the case); and how much work is involved. One thing that really struck me that I hadn't realized before, was how under Michelman's leadership, choice was made into a valid and important political issue. I assumed that because of the way that everyone skirts around the issue presently, that it's always been an area that politicians and others try to avoid. Not so; and mostly that was because of NARAL's work. Hopefully choice will return as an issue that policticians can and will proudly voice their support for. Unfortunately, I don't think Michelman's book will appeal to everyone. One has to be really interested in reproductive rights and have some previous understanding of how currently perilous they are to get through this. It's not a good intro to reproductive rights, simply because I can see how easily one get tired of every emergency and critical piece of legislation that arise. Too few of my generation truly understand how close we are to losing a right we were born with--and because of that we are scrambling to keep the rights that we have instead of making more positive changes. Great book for anyone interested in the history and current staus of the repro rights movement.
I really enjoyed this book. As an ardent supporter of choice (and more-often-than-not activist), I was quite interested in seeing how many potential (and actual) bills, laws and decisions came about. Knowing that organizations like NARAL work tirelessly for women's rights, I was still a little surprised at how they are able to cover and address every issue pertaining to choice (or not, as is sometimes the case); and how much work is involved. One thing that really struck me that I hadn't realized before, was how under Michelman's leadership, choice was made into a valid and important political issue. I assumed that because of the way that everyone skirts around the issue presently, that it's always been an area that politicians and others try to avoid. Not so; and mostly that was because of NARAL's work. Hopefully choice will return as an issue that policticians can and will proudly voice their support for. Unfortunately, I don't think Michelman's book will appeal to everyone. One has to be really interested in reproductive rights and have some previous understanding of how currently perilous they are to get through this. It's not a good intro to reproductive rights, simply because I can see how easily one get tired of every emergency and critical piece of legislation that arise. Too few of my generation truly understand how close we are to losing a right we were born with--and because of that we are scrambling to keep the rights that we have instead of making more positive changes. Great book for anyone interested in the history and current staus of the repro rights movement.
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