The Story of Jane: The Legendary Underground Feminist Abortion Service [Hardcover]

Laura Kaplan (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 13, 1996

An extraordinary history by one of its members, this is the first account of Jane's evolution, the conflicts within the group, and the impact its work had both on the women it helped and the members themselves. This book stands as a compelling testament to a woman's most essential freedom--control over her own body--and to the power of women helping women.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

From 1969 until January 1973, when the U.S. Supreme Court handed down its Roe v. Wade decision legalizing abortion, a pioneering group of Chicago feminists who called themselves "Jane" provided illegal access to abortions for thousands of women. Kaplan, who is now a lay midwife, joined Jane in 1971 as a counselor. Here she draws on her personal recollections and interviews with Jane members and clients and the doctors who performed the abortions to provide a well-written, detailed history of this radical group. Initially Jane was a referral agency only, but as demand grew, members became involved in counseling and attended clients' abortions, and some eventually trained to perform the abortions. Jane volunteers were convinced that women were entitled to control over their bodies, and they acted on their principles, despite the consequences. Several members were arrested in 1972, but the suit was dropped. Jane disbanded after abortion clinics became legal. A dramatic and important piece of women's history.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

From 1969 until the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court ruling in 1973, a group of Chicago women formed a loose underground organization whose sole purpose was to aid women who needed abortions (then illegal, of course) in getting them as safely and inexpensively as possible. They called their referral service "Jane" and worked out a set of complicated procedures to keep both themselves and their clients out of jail. At first they handled referrals to willing doctors on a very limited basis-only three or four a week-but as word about Jane got around their business increased. Eventually the women were taught by an expert to do the abortions themselves, which enabled them to charge next to nothing to those in financial need. But the operations were not all they did; every one of the 11,000 women who came to Jane also received health education and counseling. As a study of this remarkable but little known phenomenon, this book will be of value to anyone interested in women's health, the women's movement, and women's reproductive health and rights, particularly now that those rights are coming under increasing attack.
Audrey Eaglen, Cuyahoga Cty. P.L., Parma, Ohio
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 314 pages
• Publisher: Pantheon; 1 edition (January 13, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0679420126
• ISBN-13: 978-0679420125
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.2 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #287,710 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #83 in Books > Politics & Social Sciences > Women's Studies > History

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful reading, July 16, 2000

By 

Robin Orlowski "political activist" (United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Story of Jane: The Legendary Underground Feminist Abortion Service (Paperback)

This book takes a historical (even if partly rose colored) look back at the days before Roe vs Wade, and a group of women with a commitment to women's self determination

Although it is still a radical idea in our day (which accounts for the stalking of patients, bombing of Clinics and the killing of medical personel)these women realized that control over one's reproductive system was essential for survival. Women who found themselves pregnant had very limited options (there were no laws against firing pregnant workers or dismissing students and child support payments were very lax in enforcement by modern standards)and Jane sought to change that system. The change is even more remarkable in light of the fact that many of these women were college students like myself.

Because this book is so well written, you can almost feel the excitement and terror as many collective members were changing the system. Understandably, the use of pseudonyms was a necesitity both then and now.

Even though we know that abortion was legalized in Roe the mood is so well set in the book, "Never Again" rings throughout the pages. Although Jane members do not regret what they did, it is obvious that they do not want another generation to resort to such extra-legal methods. One generation was once too many.

In addition to individual reading and research, this book might be useful for a course on American women's history and/or a general course in the 1960's-1970s.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Vital Resource, November 2, 2005

By 

Anne Elizabeth Moore (Chicago, IL USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Story of Jane: The Legendary Underground Feminist Abortion Service (Hardcover)

The story of Jane-and *this* story of Jane-is unfortunately, a vital one in this contemporary age. It is recommended reading for medical health enthusiasts, women's rights advocates, political activists of all kinds, and people who just plain old like a tale about people getting together and making sure their own needs are met.

6 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars An interesting look at pre-legalization abortion, May 22, 2000

By 

missmao - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Story of Jane: The Legendary Underground Feminist Abortion Service (Hardcover)

This is a must-read for feminists, pro-choicers, pro-lifers, and activists involved in the area of women's health. Information on this book's subject matter is frequently hard to come by, and this is told from the perspective of someone who was there as events unfolded. "The Story of Jane" is a striking example of how women can care for eachother in traumatic situations, and educate their sisters about their bodies, in a way that the often too clinical medical profession does not manage. An interesting look at grass-roots organizing and the politics of the pre-Roe era.