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A review by reading_rainbow_with_chris
The Story of Jane: The Legendary Underground Feminist Abortion Service by Laura Kaplan
informative
slow-paced
4.0
“The Story of Jane” by Laura Kaplan
For four years prior to the landmark SCOTUS decision, women in need of abortion were calling Jane. But Jane was not a person; she was a network of women who facilitated a now-legendary underground network for abortion and reproductive health services before such services were legal in Illinois. Kaplan, a member of the service herself using a pseudonym for authorship, gathered the recollections of other group members, supporters, and women who used the service to craft a previously unrecorded narrative history of the group simply known as the anonymous Jane.
This was a fascinating read to think about not just from a reproductive justice perspective, but also from a general advocacy, protest, and organizing perspective. The Jane network was an incredible feat of organizational communication which simultaneously worked underground and yet had enough public presence to serve as the face of the fight for reproductive rights in Chicago and beyond. In a way, this narrative history provides a template for activist groups seeking to get resources to those who need it.
Unfortunately, Kaplan’s writing does get a bit repetitive at times and is not the most stylish; in general this was a very dry read. But the clarity, nuance, and informative content more than make up for that. Those interested in learning more about the reproductive rights movement and/or instances of social justice action should definitely hear Kaplan’s story about the legendary Jane.
For four years prior to the landmark SCOTUS decision, women in need of abortion were calling Jane. But Jane was not a person; she was a network of women who facilitated a now-legendary underground network for abortion and reproductive health services before such services were legal in Illinois. Kaplan, a member of the service herself using a pseudonym for authorship, gathered the recollections of other group members, supporters, and women who used the service to craft a previously unrecorded narrative history of the group simply known as the anonymous Jane.
This was a fascinating read to think about not just from a reproductive justice perspective, but also from a general advocacy, protest, and organizing perspective. The Jane network was an incredible feat of organizational communication which simultaneously worked underground and yet had enough public presence to serve as the face of the fight for reproductive rights in Chicago and beyond. In a way, this narrative history provides a template for activist groups seeking to get resources to those who need it.
Unfortunately, Kaplan’s writing does get a bit repetitive at times and is not the most stylish; in general this was a very dry read. But the clarity, nuance, and informative content more than make up for that. Those interested in learning more about the reproductive rights movement and/or instances of social justice action should definitely hear Kaplan’s story about the legendary Jane.