Women have abortions for many reasons, said members of Students for Choice Monday, Jan. 23, in honor of the 33rd anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision legalizing abortion in the United States.
The film “The Abortion Diaries,” by Penny Lane, was screened in the Post Theater. The documentary features twelve women who share their experiences with abortion.
Some of the stories involve women who had illegal abortions and weren’t able to conceive again. Other women shared that they did not regret their decision to undergo the procedure.
Natalie Tua’One, senior in gender studies and philosophy and co-director for the student group, said they chose the film because it showed the personal thoughts of women who actually have had to make the decision of whether or not to get an abortion and showed those decisions in a non-controversial, unbiased way.
“We need to open our eyes and start fighting for our rights,” Tua’One said.
After the film, a panel discussed a bill in the Utah legislature to forbid minors from getting an abortion without parental consent.
Panelist Karrie Galloway, CEO of the Planned Parenthood Association of Utah, said the legislature is celebrating the Roe v. Wade decision by making it more difficult for minors to receive an abortion. Not only do they have to let their parents know, but they have to have their permission, Galloway said.
Panelist David Turok, assistant professor in clinical obstetrics and gynecology, said the legislature is also trying to pass laws affecting abortion procedures to reduce fetal pain, which Turok thinks is a ridiculous rationale.
“It is unsure what level of anesthesia a fetus would need because a fetus does not feel pain,” he said. “There are fewer women who die from safe, legal abortions than those who die from full-term pregnancy.”
The panel also discussed the prospect of Judge Samuel Alito’s potential confirmation to serve on the Supreme Court in terms of implications for abortion legislation.
Panelist Sarah Johnson, public affairs coordinator of the Planned Parenthood Action Council of Utah, said Judge Samuel Alito is a threat to women’s health and reproductive rights.
“His past shows he is not a supporter or an advocate of the efforts done by the Supreme Court, such as if a woman’s health is threatened and she needs to seek an abortion,” she said.
Sanaz Ghaffarian, a senior in chemistry, attended the event and said she had mixed feelings about the viewpoints expressed.