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CONTROLLING WOMEN

Julie F. Kay Kathryn Kolbert

What We Must Do Now to Save Reproductive Freedom

The definitive account of the battle for reproductive freedom and a bold new strategy to safeguard our rights, from two lawyers at the forefront of the movement.
Reproductive freedom has never been in more dire straits. Roe v. Wade protected abortion rights and Planned Parenthood v. Casey unexpectedly preserved them. Yet in the following decades these rights have been gutted by restrictive state legislation, the appointment of hundreds of anti-abortion judges, and violence against abortion providers. Today, the ultra-conservative majority at the Supreme Court has activists, medical providers, and everyday Americans worried that we are about to lose our most fundamental reproductive protections. When Roe is toppled, abortion may quickly become a criminal offense in nearly one-third of the United States. At least six states have enacted bans on abortion as early as six weeks of pregnancy - before many women are even aware they are pregnant. Today, 89% of U.S. counties do not have a single abortion provider, in part due to escalating violence and intimidation aimed at disrupting services. Everyone should be free to make these personal and private decisions that affect our lives and wellbeing without government interference or bias, but we can no longer depend on Roe v. Wade and the federal courts to preserve our liberties. Legal titans Kathryn Kolbert and Julie F. Kay share the story of one of the most divisive issues in American politics through behind-the-scenes personal narratives of stunning losses, hard-earned victories, and moving accounts of women and health care providers at the heart of nearly five decades of legal battles. At this make-or-break moment for legal abortion in the United States, Kolbert and Kay propose audacious new strategies inspired by medical advances, state-level protections, human rights models, and activists across the globe whose courage and determination are making a difference. No more banging our heads against the Court's marble walls. It is time for a new direction. Kathryn Kolbert made her second appearance before the Supreme Court in 1992, arguing Planned Parenthood v. Casey. She co-founded the Center for Reproductive Rights. She founded NPR's Justice Talking and the Athena Center for Leadership at Barnard College. Julie F. Kay helped lay the groundwork for the legalization of abortion in Ireland through the first direct challenge to the country's absolute ban on abortion before the European Court of Human Rights. Julie began her legal career at the Center for Reproductive Rights and has spent the ensuing decades developing innovative legal and policy initiatives to advance gender equality and religious freedom.
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Published 2021-07-13 by Hachette Book Group - New York (USA)

Comments

The authors make clear that the ability to determine for oneself how and when to bear children is a human right and is essential to a person's agency over their own life and future. An essential guide; recommended for all collections. Read more...

Kathryn Kolbert and Julie F. Kay, authors of "Controlling Women," explain why Roe isn't enoughand why we need a constitutional amendment. Read more...

Op-ed by authors: It's time to brace ourselves for a world without Roe v Wade. Here's what we must do ... Read more...

Kathryn Kolbert, women's rights attorney who argued Planned Parenthood v. Casey at the Supreme Court, co-founder of the Center for Reproductive Rights and the Athena Film Festival at Barnard College, and Julie F. Kay, human rights lawyer, architect of Irish abortion lawsuit A B and C v. Ireland, talk about their new book Controlling Women: What We Must Do Now to Save Reproductive Freedom (Hachette Books, 2021), and argue for new strategies to protect women's reproductive rights, beyond relying on the Supreme Court. Read more...

NPR's Ari Shapiro speaks with women's rights attorney Kathryn Kolbert on longstanding efforts to chip away at Roe v. Wade and the strategies abortion rights supporters could use to fight such laws. Read more...

A knowledgeable, essential reframing of an incendiary issue based on common sense, historical fact, and simple decency.

author interview: Controlling Women: With Roe v. Wade in Peril, Authors Say Move Past Court to Save Reproductive Rights... Read more...

author's article: Roe Is Going to Fall. Here's What to Focus on Next. Read more...

Controlling Women: What We Must Do Now to Save Reproductive Freedom by Kathryn Kolbert and Julie F. Kay, two leading legal authorities on reproductive rights who have been preparing for this moment for decades.

This impassioned and well-argued rallying cry rings loud and clear.

ABC News (Australia) published this video item, entitled "'Writing is on the wall' for US abortion rights after Supreme Court action | The World" Read more...

Kathryn Kolbert and Julie F. Kay, lawyers and advocates for abortion rights, put the experiences of women and health workers at the center of this account of reproductive justice in America. Their observations are presented here alongside their writing on abortion as a human rights issue and legal strategies for protecting people's ability to obtain it. Read more...

Vote Her In Podcast Interview: guests Kathryn Kolbert and Julie F. Kay discuss their book, Controlling Women: What We Must Do Now to Save Reproductive Freedom... Read more...

This week were are joined by two legal legends in the fields of abortion and human rights. Kathryn Kolbert and Julie F. Kay have co-authored a new book, "Controlling Women: What We Must Do Now to Save Reproductive Freedom." With the Supreme Court set to hear a controversial abortion case, could this be the end of protections under Roe V. Wade? Kitty and Julie share their suggestions for the current reproductive rights movement. ... Read more...

passionate, informative debut... Read more...

WHYY Radio Times Interview Read more...