Article Summary –
In the early 1960s, Lois Gross had to plead before an all-male board of physicians in Philadelphia to get an abortion after contracting rubella, highlighting the struggle for abortion rights prior to Roe v. Wade. Her daughter, Ronna Dewey, now works with Red Wine and Blue to ensure abortion rights are preserved, as the political climate sees continued efforts to restrict reproductive rights, including abortion, birth control, and IVF. The “Ride to Decide” bus tour, organized by Free & Just, travels nationwide advocating for reproductive rights, emphasizing that access to such healthcare is still a significant challenge in many areas, including Pennsylvania.
Sixty years ago, Lois Gross stood before a panel of men deciding her fate.
While pregnant, Gross contracted rubella during a 1960s outbreak that swept the US. Her doctors warned that pregnant women diagnosed with the contagious disease faced higher risks of miscarriage and stillbirth. She and her husband decided on an abortion.
This was 1964, nine years before Roe v. Wade guaranteed abortion rights nationwide. Gross had to ask an all-male physician board in Philadelphia for permission.
“My father was not allowed in the room, and she had to plead for an abortion,” Ronna Dewey, Gross’ daughter, told the Pennsylvania Independent. “That’s where we’re headed if anti-abortion extremists have their way. In many states, we’re already there.”
Gross received permission for an abortion. Dewey was born a few years later.
Now, Dewey is the state program director for Red Wine and Blue, a group engaging suburban women in politics. She fights to keep abortion legal in Pennsylvania and restore abortion rights nationwide.
“This story from 60 years ago reflects the current reality for women,” Dewey said.
Dewey shared her story during an Aug. 14 event in Harrisburg hosted by Free & Just, an abortion rights advocacy campaign. The campaign highlights those harmed by abortion restrictions and travels nationwide to advocate for reproductive rights.
The group began its “Ride to Decide” bus tour in Madison, Wisconsin, in July, condemning Republican-backed abortion bans at a Milwaukee stop during the Republican National Convention. The bus visited Texas, Louisiana, Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina before arriving in Pennsylvania. The tour will end at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago.
The tour coincides with right-wing efforts to restrict abortion, birth control, and in vitro fertilization, including in Pennsylvania. Abortion remains legal through the 23rd week of pregnancy in Pennsylvania, but advocates warn this could change with political shifts. Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro and Democratic lawmakers vow to protect and expand reproductive care access.
Republican legislators aim to limit access to abortion. In 2021, GOP lawmakers tried to push an amendment to the state Constitution to strip abortion rights. Legal abortion could also end in Pennsylvania with a national ban, supported by former Trump administration members and congressional Republicans.
Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz are vocal advocates for reproductive rights. During a Philadelphia rally, Harris and Walz vowed to restore nationwide abortion rights if elected.
“Abortion is legal in Pennsylvania, but not accessible,” Adam Hosey of Planned Parenthood PA Advocates said at the Harrisburg event. “Healthcare shouldn’t be determined by your zip code. In Pennsylvania, over half the women lack access to abortion in their county. In the 1970s, there were over 170 places for abortion. Today, there are less than 20.”
Advocates at the event spoke of lives changed by government interference in health care. Annie Wu Henry, a digital strategist from York County, shared her adoption story.
“I was adopted from China due to the one-child policy, an extreme example of government overreach,” said Henry. “It’s infuriating when people casually say, ‘Just put your baby up for adoption.’ The adoption process involves cost, time, and many unknowns.”
Joan Sabatino, a retired minister and director of Unitarian Universalist Justice Pennsylvania, emphasized the importance of in vitro fertilization. Her daughters used IVF to conceive, leading to two 3-year-old granddaughters. Senate Republicans blocked a bill ensuring IVF access, and House Republicans restricted federal IVF funding.
“Without IVF, I wouldn’t have my grandchildren,” Sabatino said. “I oppose government regulation of my daughters’ family planning choices.”
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