When Abortion Was Illegal: Untold Stories illuminates a largely undocumented era, from the end of the 19th century through the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision in 1973.This Academy Award-nominated film features compelling first person accounts, which reveal the physical, legal, and emotional consequences during the era when abortion was a criminal act. Until recently, the era of illegal abortion had been a "sealed chapter" in U.S. women's history.The aura of shame surrounding unwanted pregnancies and abortion before Roe v. Wade kept most women from ever admitting that they had had illegal abortions - an experience which many had faced, but about which few ever spoke.Women suffering complications from back alley or self-induced abortions avoided admitting what they had done. As a result, many women died from untreated infections while some hemorrhaged to death. Candid interviews reveal the tragedies, as well as the courage and heroism of a shrouded time. This poignant oral history weaves together the untold stories of these women with the work of individuals who risked arrest in order to help them.All public, educational, and government access television stations (PEG) and community media stations have permission to broadcast this film and any of Dorothy Fadiman's other films

Producer/Director: Dorothy Fadiman

Executive Producer: Danny McGuire

Camera/Editing: Daniel Meyers, Blake McHugh

Production Team: Daniel Meyers, Beth Seltzer

Additional editing: Nila Bogue Staudt, Lise Rubenstein

Music: Erika Luckett

Produced with KTEH-TV (PBS)



Awards

ACADEMY AWARD NOMINATION Best Documentary Short Subject

GOLD MEDAL Corporation for Public Broadcasting

GOLD APPLE National Educational Film/Video Festival

BEST DOCUMENTARY Atlanta International Film/Video Festival

BEST TELEVISION DOCUMENTARY The EMMA, Exceptional Merit Media Award

National Women's Political Caucus

BEST TELEVISION DOCUMENTARY The Maggie Award, Planned Parenthood Federation of America

BEST DOCUMENTARY The Joey Awards

HUMANITARIAN AWARD of EXCELLENCE Sinking Creek Film Festival

EXEMPLARY LEADERSHIP AWARD Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice

(RCRC is a non-denominational consortium of more than thirty Christian, Jewish, and other religious groups openly and actively committed to reproductive rights for women.)

plus-circle Add Review

comment Reviews

Reviewer: BCTV22 - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - July 15, 2018

Subject: Real People - True Stories - Sad Time in History We need this documentary more than ever today! As women face a possible return to these times. We need to educate our younger population on why Roe Vs. Wade is such an important decision. - July 15, 2018Real People - True Stories - Sad Time in History

Reviewer: c-freedom - - January 15, 2016

Subject: According to the Bible Pharaoh tried to get the Hebrew midwives to dash Jewish babies on rocks but the women would not because the children were beautiful.

Planned Parenthood and it's ilk are engaged in a slaughter so horrific that it will place above Hitler's Nazi Germany when the final chapter of human history is written.

That our society has desensitized us so much to murder and death to the point where unborn babies can be torn from their mother's womb.

Please also ponder that the approximately 1 million children every single year that are not born because of abortion since 1973 has played into the illegal immigration crisis in this country. The vacuum that is left by all those children who never grew up and never got married and never had children of their own is filled by foreigners.

Also note that the greatest threat to people with black pigmented skin is not any of the bull crap racial stuff that is pushed by the 'liberal' socialist education system and the bogus leaders of current day so called 'civil rights activists'.

No the greatest threat to black folks is the local planned parenthood which practices voluntary GENOCIDE against poor and working women throughout this Nation.

There can and should be health care for all people and yes women deserve specialized care for female issues but what is going on with ABORTION is a very dark and a very ugly chapter in U.S. History.

Children are a gift from GOD and if you are reading this then someone thought that about you many years ago. - January 15, 2016According to the Bible

Reviewer: Wagner Elgar Peace & Love - - February 22, 2015

Subject: NO! A Baby is a social construct, So says the Cultural-Marxist,



You should "Dialectically Deconstruct" a baby and call it a fetus.



Their it makes it better doesn't it?



Just like calling a german a hun, It makes it more easy to accept the killing of them, Like Dresden.



Abortion is killing a defenceless baby, And their is nothing more sickening or evil than that. Wagner Elgar Peace & Love -- February 22, 2015NO!

Reviewer: Admiral Sir Wilbraham - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - January 12, 2015

Subject: An Excellent Documentary! Thanks! Too many women died in the past from misogynistic attitudes left over from the Dark Age. Young people of today need to learn about the struggles that the predecessors went though to achieve such an everyday right as this, and the nightmares that women used to go through before abortions were equally available and SAFE. - January 12, 2015An Excellent Documentary! Thanks!

Reviewer: lvschwer - favorite - May 12, 2013

Subject: 53 Million Unborn Babies Dead and Counting! Fadiman admits to murdering her own child -- while the innocent baby was still in her womb. But that was not enough -- she encourages other women to do so also -- and then rationalize it away. What kind of creature murders their own baby, and then encourages others to do so also? - May 12, 201353 Million Unborn Babies Dead and Counting!

Reviewer: Cairo Check - favorite favorite favorite favorite - April 14, 2013

Subject: Public Domain A very important subject that one cannot stress enough. And it will continue to be an issue for society for many, many years. But that doesn't mean we should stop addressing the issue every day.



I was wondering if this video is Public Domain, as I would like to use a small fragment of it for an independent, non-profit, short film that I produced. - April 14, 2013Public Domain

Reviewer: bbrandt - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - March 26, 2013

Subject: I was one of these women... ...unwed, pregnant, 20 years old 1961, alienated from my family...3-4 months pregnant...and lucky to have an accident settlement that could pay for an illegal abortion IF I could find one in Chicago, after drinking quinine to attempt to abort. No one wanted to do an abortion after going all over the worst areas, and finally a Mafia connection found a doctor, and the man who took me to the doctor raped me the night before in the hotel. I was lucky that it was a good if illegal abortion done properly with antibiotics to take afterwards. The madness of anti-choice escapes my logic. Thank you for making this film. - March 26, 2013I was one of these women...

Reviewer: passionatefilms - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - November 28, 2012

Subject: Outstanding I remember the time before Roe v. Wade, and as a women, it was a frightening time. I had many friends who suffered greatly from back alley butchery.



Thank you Dorothy for bring alive what all too often is forgotten, or for the young women out there, isn't know.



I agree, it is time to stop all the violence toward women. - November 28, 2012Outstanding

Reviewer: NonPolitician - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - June 14, 2012

Subject: Disturbing and Eye-Opening This movie disturbed me greatly. It opened my eyes to the actual issue of abortion. I used to think that the controversy of abortion was about whether the unborn child was a person or not — but still supported it, because I don't believe unborn fetuses are actually people yet.



This documentary revealed to me that the issue is actually one of women's rights. These dreadful stories of women who could not get the care they needed deeply disturbed me.



However, what I find more disturbing are the comments of this movie. The name-calling, judging, and attacking of these women in need is very troubling. Quoting Bible verses gets us nowhere when we can't look at every "sin" on a case-by-case basis. For those who are completely against abortion in every case, just pray that you don't end up in such a dreadful situation, and try to understand that everyone who seeks one of these operations must have a very good reason for making such a powerful decision. Abortions are not casually performed, and, as seen in this documentary, much thought is given on the issue.



The speakers in this video; the to-be mothers and fathers, the physicians, and the narrators; are very brave, and these are stories that need to be told in order to protect women's rights in the future. - June 14, 2012Disturbing and Eye-Opening

Reviewer: splue - - June 3, 2011

Subject: -- -- - June 3, 2011--

Reviewer: micah6vs8 - favorite - February 7, 2011

Subject: Let's Not Speak The Word, We Might Be Responsible Then



I think we may have a combo pack of the worlds most murderous regimes soon, now that we are north of 40 million. A Pol Pot and Hitler?

The racists are happy that almost half are black. And I thought that Middle Passage was enough to make me sick with rage.

Don't forget to PDF that court doc.



http://tinyurl.com/4otmrdp



:-) Hear no evil. See no evil. Speak no evil.



Does anyone know how to get the blood off our hands?



Just change one word, Let's just not talk about it. Too uncomfortable. Icky.I think we may have a combo pack of the worlds most murderous regimes soon, now that we are north of 40 million. A Pol Pot and Hitler?The racists are happy that almost half are black. And I thought that Middle Passage was enough to make me sick with rage.Don't forget to PDF that court doc.:-) Hear no evil. See no evil. Speak no evil.Does anyone know how to get the blood off our hands?Just change one word, http://tinyurl.com/4m56ytd - February 7, 2011Let's Not Speak The Word, We Might Be Responsible Then

Reviewer: RimiKoG - favorite - February 7, 2011

Subject: I'm not American; I tell you what US is missing... I was a Muslim and became a Christian in supernatural way....

The first thing that in US they forget (that is Biblical and physical), you can't have sex before marriage or any form and sexual act. Virginity of woman and purity of man, are for one man and one woman covenant. The blood of a virgin woman, is that covenant of man and woman that they will be one flesh. So when you break that and sin, then you get pregnant without covenant (it is a pagan lifestyle), and things are no right because you started wrong. So when baby is constipated, it is alive. When is alive, then abortion kills it. Another big sin. So this is your life. You must go to biblical truth, what is Biblical will always be truth and the highest good for you. So leave this Hellenistic pagan mindset, repent and purify yourself and let you be light and example to the world and others how Jesus meant to live and that in abundance. It start with choices. - February 7, 2011I'm not American; I tell you what US is missing...

Reviewer: Red227 - favorite favorite favorite favorite - January 14, 2011

Subject: Illegal Abortion is a danger to women I think that the point of this argument has been skewed too far into religion and ethics. Whether or not you personally believe that abortion is against God's will or just plain wrong isn't the only issue here. The issue lies with the millions of women who find themselves in desperate positions and turn to abortion for their personal reasons. I think the important thing to take from this documentary isn't whether you believe abortion is right or wrong, but the fact that when it was illegal, women were dying left and right because they had to go to a shady alley and have a coat hanger shoved up their business because it was illegal to even consider it.



Making something illegal is not going to stop those who do it from doing it anyway, even if you try to beat religion into their head or call them murderers. There will always be desperate souls. By allowing abortions to be done legally, you are minimizing the abortion related deaths and helping to provide women everywhere a safe place to talk about their options openly and intelligently. The facts will often turn young women away from abortion before a few hand painted "You're going to hell!" signs from the picketers outside of the clinic.



I'm not saying that I believe that abortion is right. I'm asking who are we to condemn the life of another person? I don't know about your God, but my God loves everyone not because we are perfect little angels, but because we make mistakes and we seek his guidance and forgiveness. My God is happier with me when I accept and forgive my fellow brothers and sisters than when I am hateful.



I would much rather someone have a safe abortion in a clinic than see them die on the streets all for the sake of 'law,' 'ethics,' or 'religion.' No one life is greater than another. Mother nor child.



On actual comment of the documentary and not just the controversy surrounding it, I thought it was tasteful. It avoided the religious and ethical standpoints and didn't scream pro-choice in my face while doing it. There should be more issues viewed from this lens. - January 14, 2011Illegal Abortion is a danger to women

Reviewer: Apeism is Stupid - favorite - December 23, 2010

Subject: A License To Kill... To those who "thank, God" for this film, or that women should be able choose to kill their pre-born baby, you know nothing about God's opinion about abortion.



God knew us before we're even born, just as He knew Jeremiah, the prophet, before he was born (Jeremiah 1:5). God creates each of us, from the smallest cell, to the sinew, bones, flesh, and to the brain we think with, the heart that beats, and the respiratory system that's in our bodies (Psalm 139:13-16).. and has numbered our days. Every time an abortionist kills a pre-born baby, he/she interrupts God's creation. When that happens, an abomination has taken place, for "the hands that shed innocent blood"is an abomination to God (Proverbs 6:16,17).



There's a story of a fight between two men, and a pregnant wife nearby. If a man should kick the pregnant woman in the stomach and she should lose her pre-born "child", his life is forfeited. It will be a life for a life (Exodus 21:22,23). That is what God thinks about killing pre-born children... they are living! NOTICE: That in that story, the pre-born baby is called a "child", not a fetus or a tissue blob... just as in EVERY part of the Holy Bible that talks about a pre-born baby... it's a "child"... EXCEPT one other place in the Bible, where a pre-born baby (John the Baptist) was called a "babe" (Luke 1:41).



Women, who have the "James Bond" attitude of having the "license to kill" a pre-born baby, will have the Creator of that baby to answer to. It's a grave and abominable sin in God's eyes.



Fortunately, to all the women and young girls who have had an abortion... God forgives. So, turn your life over to God, repent of all your sins (lying, hatred, stealing, abortions, blasphemies, etc.), and accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior. Be a follower of Jesus, every day (1 John 1:9;Romans 10:9).



Never underestimate God's knowledge about you, and the actions you have taken during your entire life. And, don't be fooled to think that some of the good you have done will erase the bad... you're a sinner (Romans 3:23), and you need Jesus to wash all the sins from your life, so you can become acceptable to God. It's a wonderful gift, and God is gracious and merciful enough to offer it so we can escape the Lake of Fire (Revelation 21:8), and live in Heaven, where there will be no more death or pain (Revelation 21:7), because God loves you (John 3:16; Romans 5:8).



Merry Christmas... - December 23, 2010A License To Kill...

Reviewer: mrmr44 - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - May 30, 2010

Subject: Yes An important film about an important and controversial subject. - May 30, 2010Yes

Reviewer: mandrakes - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - January 29, 2010

Subject: Thank God this movie was made Young women today do not realize that the decision in Roe vs. Wade was about protecting women's rights and their right to decide their own medical treatment and decision to start a family. In response to the person who accused the maker of this film and pro-choice women of having an abortion, I would say that many women in this country have an abortion. That simply proves the need for legal abortions. - January 29, 2010Thank God this movie was made

Reviewer: Neslihan A. A. - favorite favorite favorite favorite - January 29, 2010

Subject: Rights of Women Thıs documentary sheds light on how women are abused regarding what they want to do with their own bodies. Any religious view on this matter should not be involved in an argument because this issue doesn't concern religion; it concerns the well-being of women. IF a woman wants to end an unwanted pregnancy, she should be able to do it without having to get authorization neither from law nor the society. Ignorance and science aren't compatible. The condemnation of women who are pro abortion is nothing but another misogynyc approach towards women and will not be the last...

And you don't find people who rape 13 year-olds and you want these children to keep their babies soon to give them up. And this isn't sick... Yeah, right... what an hypocrisy... - January 29, 2010Rights of Women

Reviewer: stayawayfromhorror - - November 4, 2009

Subject: Archives shows truth that woman induce own Horror. Archives shows truth that woman induce own Horror.

Woman...steel tool cut her up while cutting up baby into

baby parts of bloody dismembered intestines, stomachs,

heads, feet, legs, hands, feet.



Our reaction should be after seeing the truth is TO NOT DO BOTH.

DON'T cut up woman or DON'T cut up baby.

No more horror. Both bleed a lot.

Americans, tell people they can not do both.

It is simple as that.



Vision I had at a retreat, thirty years ago.

How coincidence of how it relates to a woman and a baby.

I had to share it with you....

This vision was so intense that I shared it to SO many people in my life. I even made it into a song. What an impact it did in my life to hold on to something true.



I remember a time, I had this one site.

I remember a babe, at this one night.

The babe was in a gutter of the terrible sin.

Covered with his own blood with sores within.



Child, child why are you there?

Child, child abandoned right there?



I remember a man. He picked this child up.

Held it dear, within his arms.

When the child realize this...

That he was in the Best of Care.



He didn't care that he had his blood covered him.

He didn't care that he was abandoned just then.

He didn't care of what the world did to him.

He was in such PAIN!!!

But now the arms of the man were around him.



Oh Lord I can feel this.....child

and I feel your arms around him.

and I can see that in this dream

that the child suppose to be....me!

So....

I don't care now what the world did to me.

I don't care now if I am so blind.

I don't care now what ever it is.

As long as you, long as you, hold me tight.



Hold me tight Lord and I don't care,

What the world did to me tonight

Hold me tight Lord and I don't care,

What the world did to me tonight



Hold me, hold me tight, hold me, hold me tight.

Hold me, hold me tight, hold me, hold me tonight!!! - November 4, 2009Archives shows truth that woman induce own Horror.

Reviewer: inselpeter - favorite favorite favorite favorite - September 14, 2009

Subject: Intelligent and Well Made This is a well made, intelligent, and sensitive documentary. In addition to those themes upon others have commented, the documentary seems to advance an argument according to which abortion was criminalized in reaction to the inception of the modern social ascendancy of women as equals. Subjoined to this argument - although given greater prominence - is that of the annexation and control of women's health by professional medicine. Interestingly, according to the narration, the Church *joins* with medicine. That is to say, according to the film, the Church - and, by extension, theological morality, is not the historically initiator of the abortion prohibition. It is that argument - and its implications - with which detractors of this film should grapple; I do not count myself among them, however, and I whole-heartedly recommend it. - September 14, 2009Intelligent and Well Made

Reviewer: Rosemary Vivianne - favorite - August 23, 2009

Subject: Author of this video supports the murder of babies The author of this video murdered her own God given baby by having an abortion and she has been trying to justify it ever since. How do I know this? She admitted this in a hate mail she sent me. The majority of so-called pro-choice women in America have murdered their own babies through abortion. With modern science, the health or life of the mother is never an issue with childbirth. Pro-choice women place a higher value on having sexual orgasms than the life of their own baby. Even animals in nature have more respect for their offspring. Lebensunwertes Leben (Life Unworthy Of Life) is also an ideology supported by Fadiman. This ideology (from Koche and Binding) was adopted by the Third Reich during WWII to justify the killings of those who they thought would suffer if they had a life; hence, killing them was deemed to be an act of mercy. There is no one lower in the universe than those who murder their own babies and teach others to do so! - August 23, 2009Author of this video supports the murder of babies

Reviewer: chisinha - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - August 18, 2009

Subject: Unfortunately, that's what it's like in Brazil Compassionate and sensible stories, there should be many more like this movie, if there are any, they're very hard to find - what about the rest of the world? Women are 50% + human inhabitants and when they want an abortion, they'll risk their lives for it and when they want a child, they'll risk abortion for it (IVF, embryo reduction). - August 18, 2009Unfortunately, that's what it's like in Brazil

Reviewer: mrswalker - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - April 12, 2009

Subject: A heartbreaking story These stories of what our mothers before us suffered breaks my heart. I will continue to support my daughters and grandaughters rights to make their own reproductive choices through donations to organizations that respect the dignity of women. Thank you for the words of these women who were once victims but became protectors of my daughters. - April 12, 2009A heartbreaking story

Reviewer: vidmonko - favorite - February 16, 2009

Subject: Why continue the cycle of violence when one can end it with the gift of life? If we are abandoned, betrayed or brutalized by men, then maybe the best thing to do to stop the tragic and violent cycle is to have the child and at least give it to a childless couple. There are many thousands waiting desperately for a child, esp. since infertility is skyrocketing on acct. of contraceptive use and the psysical, not to mention emotional, havoc caused by abortions.

From another point of view, "If there is no God, everything is permissable." (Dostoevski) And if there is a God, and a moral law derived from him, we're wise taking the pro-life position, since our eternal destiny in heaven or hell may hinge upon it. (See "Pascal, Selections" here at archive, for a good explanation, giving the atheist and agnostic positions their strongest arguments).

I assume that you, the pro-choicer, think that we human beings have human rights. Your position, in fact, is that among the rights a human being has is the right to control one's reproduction. Well, at what point do you think that a human being, with human rights, comes into existence? Is it at birth, or earlier?



Pro-choice people argue that the lack of consensus about when life begins implies that abortion should be legal until birth. By why only until birth? Why not after birth--that is, why do we not allow infanticide? My concern is: what keeps us from legalizing infanticide? Is it only because there happens to be a consensus that infants are human beings with human rights? But what if that consensus should change? And it is not naive to suppose it might change. There have been many cultures throughout history which have condoned infanticide, just as many cultures have condoned slavery and human sacrifice. There are philosophers who have argued that there are no good reasons for favoring abortion but opposing infanticide. And reasoning like that used to support abortion has already been used in many cases to argue for infanticide of Downs Syndrome children. - February 16, 2009Why continue the cycle of violence when one can end it with the gift of life?

Reviewer: Paul Bradford - favorite favorite favorite - February 15, 2009

Subject: Not Really About Abortion When I watched this film I was impressed by the fact that all the women featured had been abandoned, betrayed or brutalized by men. It's a compelling story, of course, and one that is played out in the lives of far too many women but I found the narrative about abortion to be something of a distraction. Abortion wasn't really the most salient aspect of these women's lives -- except in the fact that they all shared the belief that the way to relieve the pain that was inflicted on them from the men in their lives was to abort their children. This belief wasn't explored or defended in the film in any persuasive manner -- the belief was simply accepted as "a matter of course".



So my review is mixed. The elements of an interesting story are there but there isn't much understanding exhibited for what these women really went through. The abortion meme was something of a 'red herring'. - February 15, 2009Not Really About Abortion

Reviewer: xXxKimberlyAnnexXx - favorite - January 6, 2009

Subject: Nice try at sounding intelligent... Sorry but giving a child medicine is not the same thing as deciding weather or not to have your child killed out of convenience for yourself... and you just said it- 'their children' menaing that you are condoning murder.. EXCLUDING in my opinion cases of rape and an already dying fetus... everyone's talking about 'the woman's chice" what about the infants chioce??? Im tired of ignorant 'girls' acting surprised about pregnancy- babies have been created the same way for thousands upon thousands of centuries.. nothing is new there... If someone doesn't want a baby THAT badly there are other precautions- including, but not limited to Knowing and PAYING ATTENTION to your bodily cycles... Do women no longer have a genuine connection to nature anymore?? There are spirits in fetus' despite your 'playing the role of god' pretending there isnt. There is something much deeper, than just making a selfish decision, at stake. And the argument about "what are they supposed to do go back to hangers" doesnt even make sence... when did this desperate need to kill your baby come from anyway?! My mother knew someone who worked at an abortion facility and her job was to sqeeze out the bags of fetus remains- you know, fingers, hands, feet, etc that were left after the abortion of the so called 'bag of nothing' floating inside of them...

Id like to agree with the woman who mentioned why women cry when they have a miscarriage... because a normal woman feels she has LOST something, but for Gods sake-

If you don't want to have a baby don't create one! - January 6, 2009Nice try at sounding intelligent...

Reviewer: dtantalo - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - December 4, 2008

Subject: You should not be a judge, for if you judge you will be judged The title is a Bible quote. The people who write vitriolic, hateful messages about this video are responding out of a misguided sense of emotional morality and try to put themselves in the place of God, which they have no Godly right to do. A woman's individual decidion is her own; who are you out there to take that away? People make life and death decisions all the time for their children: whether or not to give a cough medicine; whether or not to drive 15 miles over the speed limit on the freeway; whether or not to make them stay in bed at night with the light off, in full spite of the fact that these decisions may have profound consequences down the road. No one can make a blanket judgement when you do such things because everyone claims they have a "right to my opinion." Well these comments are not merely opinions, they are hate messages, messages of condemnation, messages that imply closed, or narrow mental vision. It is statements like this that made back alley abortions necessary in the first place, for if judgements against the personal decisions of others had not been made these women could have spoken up, gotten support during pregancy, and received help through the process of carrying an unwanted pregnancy to term instead of needing to resort to abortion. I say that comments condemning this video are the enemies of free expression and creators and builders of barriers to civil rights. The women in this video have the right and privelege to express their painful experiences without judgement. I suggest that instead of adding to the pain, the people who make negative remarks about the deeply personal decisions of others, decisions that for good or bad are done and past, why not be part of the solution and keep your freedom- suppressing thoughts to yourself? If all you can do is spout hate join the Abortion KKK! Oh sorry, you already have. - December 4, 2008You should not be a judge, for if you judge you will be judged

Reviewer: brsean - favorite - November 10, 2008

Subject: Previous review sounds like a false flag Why 5 stars if you're violently against abortion? I'm against it very much too, but the pro-life cause is not helped by such language. We need to speak the truth with love. I wonder if this review was written by a pro-abort to make the pro-life position look bad. - November 10, 2008Previous review sounds like a false flag

Reviewer: bbasher - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - October 17, 2008

Subject: Pro Choice??? Not for the baby 1 pig wrote here "You DO NOT have the right to choose for me".



Go F yourself you little tramp. Who gave the baby you MURDERED a choice? What was that babies OPTION you worthless tramp? You decided for him, now didn't you?



The "choice" was before you decided to spread your legs. But hey, ABORTIONS FOR ALL and just sleep with as many men as you please. After all, we can always just KILL the baby if you get pregnant by sucking its brains out.



These "pro choice" people are nothing more than murderers. Its like Charles Manson arguing his killings were "pro choice". Sorry but in the eyes of God YOU DO NOT DECIDE WHO LIVES AND DIES and you will suffer in the end, no matter what our earthly corrupted law here states. Think about that next time you want to kill another baby. - October 17, 2008Pro Choice??? Not for the baby

Reviewer: Former embryo - - October 9, 2008

Subject: When Abortion Was Illegal: WHy is it when a mother that is pro abortion (choice)decides to have a baby and has a miscarriage after say 3-5 months she is sad. Was she sad because she lost unviable tissue as some doctors call it? Or was it because she knew that was her baby and it died? - October 9, 2008When Abortion Was Illegal:

Reviewer: Geeee - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - May 14, 2008

Subject: Think what you want Think what you want, get as excited as you want, rant and rave all you want, make all the snappy statements you want...that's what freedom is all about.



Just remember:

You DO NOT have the right to decide for me. - May 14, 2008Think what you want

Reviewer: larryWF - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - February 9, 2008

Subject: When Abortion Was Illegal If I were king of the world, I'd make it so that baby boys would get a vascetomy at birth (like they do with circumcision). And if and when they're mature and financially stable enough to bring a child into this overpopulated world the procedure would be reversed so they could father a child. Until then, abortion would be free and legal for all. - February 9, 2008When Abortion Was Illegal

Reviewer: Lockett - favorite - January 14, 2008

Subject: I'm sick of all this "pro-choice" junk. "I couldn't have that baby, because if I did, and I died, who would take care of the baby that I had?"



Um...an ORPHANAGE, maybe?



If you wanted to sound compassionate for your kid, don't go all sappy about how it was nicer to them to kill them. That's like Hitler saying that Jews and retards are better off dead because they're inferior. I'm not saying that the old hag was a Nazi, but she used the exact same argument.



"I worked hard, and I sold everything that I had that I could get a few pennies for, and I eventually got my $50 and I went out to see this woman."



Oh, how touching. A lady can't afford killing her kid, so she scrimps and saves until she can. That's a real moving story about how one mother was determined enough to KILL HER BABY! I'm so touched.



>DocHarman



"I am a male medical student at a very conservative medical school. I am extremely thankful for films such as this because it reminds me why I wanted to be a physician — as long as I am alive, women will always have the freedom of choice. This film and the stories with-in, are my motivation and truly keep me going."



Really? Your motivation for becoming a doctor was pre-birth infanticide? Gah.



There really isn't any way around the issue - as Dr. Seuss put it, "A person's a person, no matter how small."



>aaronshaf



"If privacy was the issue then we should let mother abuse their own born children in the privacy of their own homes."



Well-put. Who cares where you sleep? It doesn't matter if it's a crib or a basinet - if you're young enough, you can be killed without consequence. To the killer, that is...



>orlamay



"The issue is freedom of choice, if you are pro-life, that is your choice. If you have made the difficult decision to have an abortion and decide to do so, that is your choice. Once we start dictating to others what they can and can't do under our personal belief systems we are violating the constitution! Where do we draw that line?"



Nobody should use the pro-"choice" argument to defend infanticide. If all that matters is choice, then why do we have laws against murder, rape, etc? Don't criminals have a choice, too?



>kerriganm



"And to criminalize abortion is to take away a woman's ownership of herself"



IT'S NOT HER BODY, any more than Cheng owned Eng's body. If a conjoined twin kills their sibling, it's fratricide. If a pregnant mother kills the baby that needs her umbilical cord because there's no other way to get nutrients, it's infanticide. Duh.



Oh, and apparently nobody in these movies has heard of contraceptives, despite the fact that they were readily available at the time(not prescribed, of course, but easily obtainable). - January 14, 2008I'm sick of all this "pro-choice" junk.

Reviewer: norton67 - favorite favorite favorite - December 15, 2007

Subject: Terrified ? Russ wasn't too terrified of fatherhood to keep his pecker in his pants.

Still and all this is a pretty good film though. There is a lot to be said for both sides of this issue. - December 15, 2007Terrified ?

Reviewer: aaronshaf - favorite - December 15, 2007

Subject: Abortion is Unethical Abortion should not be an issue of privacy. If privacy was the issue then we should let mother abuse their own born children in the privacy of their own homes.



The watershed issue is whether an unborn child is an innocent human being. Woe to those who want it legal to sucks the brains and slaughter and terminate the lives of innocent human beings. - December 15, 2007Abortion is Unethical

Reviewer: kerriganm - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - December 14, 2007

Subject: Very moving, poignant and revealing This film shows the real cost of criminalizing abortion. It's one of the hardest things in the world to do- no woman is gleeful about having an abortion. But it is also a very necessary right. And to criminalize abortion is to take away a woman's ownership of herself and make her chattel. Ours is the only first-world country that even entertains that as a possibility. - December 14, 2007Very moving, poignant and revealing

Reviewer: rastamon - - December 13, 2007

Subject: Kippy-Kill-kill-kill !!!!!! Reviewer: kjp - - September 27, 2006

Subject: No



I think women can make their own choice. you fucks.



Kip has a point, women should have a choice to kill their babies...might i add...up to 5yrs old.

Aye???? rastamon -- December 13, 2007Kippy-Kill-kill-kill !!!!!!

Reviewer: LadyBard1964 - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - April 7, 2007

Subject: Pro-choice with two children. Would you prefer to have them aborted or murdered due to neglect? Seriously!!!! Teach girls and boys how to protect themselves so that they don't have to deal with making the CHOICE! - April 7, 2007Pro-choice with two children.

Reviewer: Claeyborn - favorite - April 5, 2007

Subject: American Holocaust-1.5 Million per yr. Have No Voice and No Choice Those that chose to perform abortions or to receive an abortion had a choice. The unborn babies have no choice. So, forgive me if I don't grieve for those who had a choice. Claeyborn -- April 5, 2007American Holocaust-1.5 Million per yr. Have No Voice and No Choice

Reviewer: Telephone Toughguy - - April 4, 2007

Subject: I am not exactly "pro life" or "pro choice" But condoms have always been available and I don't believe in "unplanned pregnacnies" unless you get raped or something. I got laid plenty and made sure every sperm was accounted for. It was my responsibility as a human. Growing up with the fear of AIDS was more than enough deterrant, let alone child support payments. Come on, it takes two to tango, but the leg bones are connected to the female brain bone. No rubber, no play, no crack babies, ever heard of masterbation?



It's the same with guns. If you see a gun it's loaded, period. There should not be "I thought it was empty" crap and accidental shootings. When you see a gun, it is loaded and you treat it that way. Don't point it at yourself, or others (unless they piss you off). Take this principal and apply it to sex. Presume that this load is a baby if I let it go into my vagina, I should use a condom, and WHAM! no more "unplanned pregnancies".



And forget the "heat of the moment" crap and "it doesn't feel the same". Your life is worth more than a moment and how would you know what unprotected sex felt like unless you were stupid enough or catholic enough to do it?

There is no excuse for bringing a baby into the world unless you are prepared to take care of it. We require marriage licenses but anyone can have a kid? No IQ tests? No competency tests? Background checks? We obviously do not care about kids enough.



Abortion may not be evil against god but it is a careless waste of time, money and fetuses by someone who was irresponsible and selfish for the 30 seconds it takes to put a condom on a penis. Please, this will be the stupid issue that scares all the retarded religious people away from the only republican capable of saving us from the impending clintonian era...



Here's one to think about...



Should same sex marriage partners be able to terminate the pregnancy of surrogate mother?



Rudy in 08... for allah's sake. - April 4, 2007I am not exactly "pro life" or "pro choice"

Reviewer: prof55 - - March 7, 2007

Subject: A touching display of emotions, but isn't it sad that those babies aren't represented in this movie? Of course, they can't be - they were killed.



The first statement in the movie says it all -



Doctor: "I told you not to get pregnant"

Patient: "But you didn't tell me how not to..."



Two possible situations here:



1. The woman does not know what causes pregnancy.



2. The woman DOES know, but claims that having sex is her inalienable right, and that it must have no consequences that could endanger her plans.



That's really what it's all about - the "right" to do whatever you please. Sorry, the world isn't made that way. Certain acts have certain consequences, and those who perform those acts have a responsibility that is unavoidable.



It seems the more innocent the victim, the easier it is for these types to take advantage. If a child got the last ticket for a movie you wanted to see, would you kill them? There is no difference. - March 7, 2007A touching display of emotions,

Reviewer: orlamay - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - January 6, 2007

Subject: Don't confuse the issue. In general people that are pro-choice are not pro-abortion. The issue is that each of us as an individual has the right to choose. There are radicals on both sides of the issue, ones who use abortion as if it were a form of birth control, and ones who kill doctors who perform abortions (try to understand that rational!). In each case, it is wrong.



The issue is freedom of choice, if you are pro-life, that is your choice. If you have made the difficult decision to have an abortion and decide to do so, that is your choice. Once we start dictating to others what they can and can't do under our personal belief systems we are violating the constitution! Where do we draw that line?



What if I said you couldn't practice your religion? - January 6, 2007Don't confuse the issue.

Reviewer: kjp - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - September 27, 2006

Subject: No I think women can make their own choice. you fucks. - September 27, 2006No

Reviewer: AlecWest - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - July 30, 2006

Subject: a moderate viewpoint As heartwrenching as this film was, it is equally heartwrenching to hear the stories of women who regret their decisions to abort. I've always been puzzled by one thing, however.



In Basic Biology 101, we were taught that when a sperm and egg unite - and after that first cell divides - the result is a unique lifeform, different from either parent. And if that lifeform is human, you have human life. I'm surprised that the scientific community hasn't jumped onboard the pro-life wagon since, religion aside, science and religion are in complete agreement on the definition of life.



Even so, and though it flies in the face of scientific logic, I'm in favor of a woman's right to choose - with one proviso. Assuming we're talking about conception done the old-fashioned way, there are two parents who have a stake in the child's future - a mother AND a father. And though a father doesn't physically bear the child, the child in part bears characteristics of the father. So, somewhere in this mix, I think a father's opinion should count for something. - July 30, 2006a moderate viewpoint

Reviewer: PianoWizard.com - favorite favorite favorite - June 8, 2006

Subject: What about Jane Roe? My understanding is that "Jane Roe" of Roe v Wade fame is now an adamant opponent to abortion.



Anyone ever seen a poll of women who aborted their fetuses as to their current mental well-being? I never have. It would make an equally interesting video. - June 8, 2006What about Jane Roe?

Reviewer: FP - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - June 14, 2005

Subject: Top-notch documentary This shows why the noxious christian right should keep their blue noses out of womens' uteruses. The decision is hard enough to make without some bible-clutching loon trying to whack you over the head with a aborted baby jesus placard. - June 14, 2005Top-notch documentary

Reviewer: Former Fetus - favorite - June 14, 2005

Subject: Abortion is better than adoption? It is so clear that the women are grieving and battling with their consciences over what they did. They are clearly in denial, specially the woman who tries to make herself believe that abortion is better than abortion.



It is pathetic that in the most advanced society in the history of humanity people think they can't afford a child. These people were misled and I am sure they know it deep down.



I hope they find reconciliation. - June 14, 2005Abortion is better than adoption?