Today marks 35 years since Roe v. Wade legalized abortion and the University’s Students for Choice is celebrating the famous Supreme Court hearing’s anniversary with a week of events.
“I think Roe v. Wade

is a perfect anniversary to celebrate because it’s the anniversary of legal abortion in America, but not abortion in America,” said University junior Jasmine Zimmer-Stucky, co-director of Students for Choice. “Abortion has been happening since women have been getting pregnant.
“I also feel like we should celebrate because there are a lot of people right now in government who don’t want it to be legal anymore, so we need to do our best to fight against that.”
Mayor Kitty Piercy – “one of the instrumental women in starting Students for Choice at the University of Oregon,” Zimmer-Stucky said – will kick off the Roe v. Wade events with a speech in the EMU Amphitheater at 1:30 p.m. today. Piercy will highlight the importance of pro-choice activism in today’s young people.
Ellen Scott, director of the University’s Women’s and Gender Studies department, said it’s especially critical that young women be active regarding this issue.
“(Young women are) facing all of their reproductive years ahead of them,” she said. “These are the people who are probably most immediately and directly affected by changes in public policy.”
Co-sponsored by Law Students for Reproductive Justice, members of the “pre-Roe” generation will share their experiences tonight at 7 p.m. in the Lewis Lounge, located on the fourth floor of the Knight Law Center.
The main speaker is Edgar Peara, a former minister and member of the Jane Movement, an organization of individuals who performed abortions prior to their legalization.
“We’re very privileged in our rights,” Zimmer-Stucky said. “There were times, only 35 years ago, where that wasn’t the case. We want to remind people that there were a lot of people who suffered before we got this right.”
She added, “I think denying someone access to a safe medical procedure is absurd. The more access you have to reproductive health in general… the number of abortions you actually have in the area decreases.”
Wednesday afternoon in the ASUO Women’s Center lounge, there will be a screening of “Dirty Dancing” with refreshments and a discussion.
Friday night, Davies, the Rockbottom Scoundrels and Samba Ja, a 30-piece Brazilian percussion band, will perform at Lorax Manner’s Roe v. Wade celebration. A student co-op, Lorax Manner is located at 1648 Alder St. There’s a suggested donation of $5 for the fundraising costs, though chocolate genitalia will be provided free of charge.
“Most simply, abortion is under increased and constant attack,” Scott said. “It is incredibly important that people become educated about the significance of that choice.”
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