PIEDMONT — Although women’s reproductive services, including birth control and abortion, are fairly accessible in the Bay Area, there is a battle going on to limit access across the country.
The Piedmont Appreciating Diversity Film Series looks into the current political moves to limit women’s rights to birth control and abortion with its next film in the series, “Birthright: A War Story.” The film highlights lack of access through the voices of women who have experienced birth control and abortion denials.
“We consider ourselves to be pretty up-to-date regarding women’s issues,” said film series spokeswoman Anita Stapen. “We all found ourselves kind of shocked about what is happening in terms of encroachment on reproductive rights across America. In California, we may not have a sense of what’s going on because in California our situation is very good compared to the rest of the country, but in so many states, abortion has been inaccessible or it’s not being paid for.”
The feature-length documentary features women who have been jailed, physically violated or have been at risk of dying because of pregnancy-related issues. It argues there is an aggressive — and increasingly successful — political and social movement for the government to regulate women’s choices.
Since Roe v. Wade, several states have made it illegal to have abortions after 20 weeks. In some places, it’s 15 weeks. States have limited the number of clinics available to women, making it hard for some to get access to safe, legal abortions.
“In this whole movement, really the people who pay the price are the people who have the fewest resources and who can’t afford to go to another state and stay overnight,” Stapen said. “The de facto effect of these laws is to restrict women who are poor and unable to bypass these laws by going to another state and another location.”
Women are also being denied abortions when their lives are at risk. The film explores one pregnant woman whose uterus caved in and was denied the procedure because she was 22 weeks along.
“They won’t give her an abortion because it’s a 20-week state,” Stapen said. “On it goes. When this film talks about the real-life ‘Handmaid’s Tale,’ they’re not kidding.”
Women are often subjected to waiting periods, watching videos and getting lectures from doctors. Some are also denied birth control and procedures like tube tying.
Lois Corrin, who also volunteers with the film committee, said she’s encouraged that so many more women are running for office in 2018. She said a shift might change in politics to dampen the momentum in politics to seriously limit Roe v. Wade or even have it overturned.
The film is important, she said, because it gives women voices and raises the alarm that women’s basic rights are slowly being stripped away.
“They are various people who’ve had these situations, and they’re trying to get these services,” she said. “It impacts families in all these different ways to have to work this hard to get reproductive rights.”
When the film screens at the Ellen Driscoll Playhouse in Piedmont at 7 p.m. April 26, a discussion with Dr. Ruth Shaber will follow. Shaber is on the medical advisory committee for the Planned Parenthood Federation of America.
After the film’s other screening at The New Parkway in Oakland at 3 p.m. April 28, Carole Joffee, Ph.D, will discuss the film. She is not only in the documentary but is also the author of many articles and books on the status of abortion and contraception in America. She has received lifetime achievement awards from the National Abortion Federation and the Society for Family Planning.
If you go
What: Screenings of documentary film “Birthright: A War Story”
When/Where: 7 p.m. April 26 at Ellen Driscoll Playhouse, 325 Highland Ave. in Piedmont, and 3 p.m. April 28 at the New Parkway theater, 474 24th St., Oakland.
Cost: Free
More info: diversityfilmseries.wordpress.com