Gloria Feldt, who has served as president of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America for the past nine years, gave a lecture titled "Stop the War on Choice: How to Fight Forward for Reproductive Rights" at Hamilton on Feb. 2. The lecture, Feldt's first since stepping down as president of Planned Parenthood last week, outlined the mission of her organization and what she sees as the future path of the pro-choice movement. Feldt's lecture, sponsored by the Levitt Center, was the second
in a series on abortion issues.
Feldt was introduced by Lauren Leatherman '05, president of the Hamilton chapter of VOX: Voices for Planned Parenthood, the college wing of the organization. Feldt then began her lecture with the story of Planned Parenthood founder Margaret Sanger's battle against government censorship in her efforts to distribute medically accurate information about women's health and sexuality. A lot has changed since then, with Supreme Court decisions such as Griswold v. Connecticut and Roe v. Wade guaranteeing the right to privacy in the form of legal birth control and abortion. In many ways, however, we haven't come that far, said Feldt. There are still people today who see no distinction between "medical material and pornography, between healthy sexuality and promiscuity," she said. Feldt said that the "war on choice," the title of her lecture and of her recently published book, is not hyperbolic, but accurate.
The fight to secure reproductive rights continues today, Feldt said. In her words, the pro-choice movement is fighting to give women an equal place in the world, to protect women's rights to their lives, and children's right to love and nurture. Feldt briefly discussed how she came to believe that these things were basic human rights, telling her story of growing up in West Texas in the 1950s and having three children by the age of 20. At that point she "woke up," she said, and began to attend college and participate in the civil rights movement. None of this would have been possible without the pill, which she said "allowed her to have a life." Her experience working with Planned Parenthood for the past 30 years has convinced her that reproductive rights are fundamental human rights, and that they are in danger.
"Don't be fooled by the 'moral value' exit polls," she said. "America is pro-choice, and pro-choice is a moral value... Freedom, equality, justice and access are American values." How, then, have anti-abortion activists managed to gain so much power in the war over reproductive rights? Feldt said this is because they have changed their strategy, and have been slowly chipping away at reproductive rights through reducing access and imposing restrictions, rather than trying to outlaw them all together. Taken one by one, these moves don't seem like much, "but connect the dots and its an attack on our human rights," Feldt said.
The "war on choice" is fought on six different fronts, Feldt said. First, laws are passed that place restrictions on and refuse access to reproductive rights. Second, lawmakers are building the legislative platform to outlaw abortion by passing laws which could be challenged to the Supreme Court and upheld. Third, other laws, such as the Unborn Victims of Violence Act, redefine the legal status of the fetus so that
its rights equal or even exceed that of the woman. Fourth, said Feldt, is the "sacrifice of science and medicine to extremist ideology." Fifth is the prevalence of gag rules and censorship surrounding issues of reproductive health and choice. And finally, Feldt said, the courts are being packed with anti-choice judges so that when a law does come before them for review, they will restrict or overturn Roe v. Wade.
Feldt outlined how all these fronts are at play in the battle over emergency contraception (EC), which she said could prevent one half of all unwanted pregnancies and approximately 800,000 abortions a year. "Shouldn't we want that?," she asked.
Finally, Feldt spoke about what she calls "fighting forward for reproductive rights." The important parts of this strategy, she said, are assuming the moral high ground, "playing offense" by setting the agenda and defining the terms of the debate, and being not only a supporter of reproductive rights, but an activist. "We must fight to win," she said.
After her lecture, Feldt took questions from the audience in a session moderated by Professor Maurice Isserman, the advisor of Hamilton VOX. Many audience members referred to the pro-life speaker who came to Hamilton last week, Elizabeth Fox-Genovese, in their questions. Feldt responded to many of the points made in that lecture, as well as answering questions about the mission and work of the Planned Parenthood Federation.
-- by Caroline R. O'Shea '07
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Feldt meets with student members of VOX: Voices for Planned Parenthood of Hamilton College. |
Lauren Leatherman '05, President of VOX Hamilton College, speaking with Gloria Feldt. |
