It was a time when living consisted of being politically educated.

“Brothers and sisters, the time has come for each and every one of you to decide whether you are going to be the problem or whether you are going to be the solution.”

This was Vietnam. 1968 and 69 Vietnam. Assassinations and political disenfranchisement.

It was after the disastrous 68 convention in Chicago with the police riots and everything.

“Police have gone berserk. Wanton brutality replaces rule of law.”

And a lot of people were disillusioned.

It was a time where not to decide was to decide.

The radical movement at the time was a male movement. And therefore, abortion as an issue couldn’t be very important because it was so female.

The whole world was supposed to change, we were going to have this big revolution and everything was going to be different for everybody except women.

So we had this one meeting, we decided to make it on women’s liberation, which was in its early stages. And Heather said at the meeting, she says, “I know what something that we can do. We can do abortion counseling.”

From Jane: An Abortion Service. Video by Nell Lundy and Kate Kirtz, 1996.

Credit: Used with permission of Kate Kirtz.