Fri 1/20 @ 8PM
Sun 1/22 @ 4PM
Last June after almost 50 years, the U.S. Supreme Court, with its Dobbs decision, stripped women of their reproductive rights and control of their own bodies and lives, overturning the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision.
Ohio’s radical right-wing legislature had already been working to do so, passing the so-called “Heartbeat Bill” in 2019. It banned abortions at six weeks (before many women know they’re pregnant) allegedly because the fetus has a “heartbeat.” (It doesn’t.) The bill was challenged and prevented from going into effect, but Dobbs cleared the path for such restrictive bills in numerous states.
This week, Ideastream Public Media is airing an audio documentary called “Ohio After Roe,” which looks at the impact of policies promoted by Ohio’s anti-choice legislature and equally anti-choice Governor Mike DeWine. It will air Friday January 20 @ 8pm and Sunday January 22 @ 4PM (January 22 is the 50th anniversary of Roe v. Wade.)
“The decision overturning Roe v. Wade upended nearly 50 years of legal precedent granting a federal right to an abortion,” said Amy Eddings, host and reporter of “Ohio After Roe” in a press release. “It was essential for Ideastream to explore what this change meant for Ohio. This documentary captures the uncertainty, fear, confusion and anticipation being felt at this critical time by Ohioans on both sides of the abortion debate.” (“Both sides”? Seems like the one side with all the power is taking a victory lap while working on how to restrict reproductive rights still more.)
The show will go to an abortion clinic in Cuyahoga Falls to hear from women getting abortions and a pregnancy center to talk to those getting support for their unplanned pregnancies. It will talk to abortion rights advocates as well as those who want even MORE abortion restrictions, and looks at criminal charges that women and abortion providers could face if anti-choice fanatics go to extremes. And it makes an important connection between such extreme policies and gerrymandering, which protects legislators from ever having to answer to voters for their positions.
You can find more information here. www.ideastream.org/ohioafterroe.