Socialist Workers party about their activity in the abortion movement.
Their disagreements were the following. WONAAC 'controlled by the SWP'. WONAAC, by focusing on . single- ignored other questions related to women's liberation. It said abortion 'cannot stand alone' by itself and it is not 'a political issue'.
Off Our Backs said 'free abortion' should be the main focus rather than the repeal of the Abortion Taws Decausc. Dour wuuica would not be able to afford abortions' even if the laws were repealed.
bear children.
For Black, Chicana, Puerto Rican, Native American and ' AsianAmerican women, aD0r tion laws used musuTv tre Dracuce oore sterilisation. If abortions were legal, it would be much harder for racist doctors welfare boards to exact the punishment of forced sterilisation these women when they seek abortions.
According to the June 20 1971 York Times during the first six months of New York's liberalized aboruor raw.
residents were for Black Puerto Rican women.
Maxine Williams 'I don't feel, however, that wnle women Siltlllg around room, IN 1974 Scottish Labour MP James White introducorganisations. They demonstrations mourning 'murdered babies', and stage-managed the publication of abortion horror stories. All these tactics were to become familiar to in the years ahead.
White's bill galvanised the WOllCE S Huvelleil into action. A new campaign was born - the National Abortion CamBy it had mobilised 10.000 women and men for its first major Abortion on demand is the four original Ullc demands of the women's movement. I nere nas oeel.
Women's Abortion and calodl.l since 1971 Betore 1975 there had been a sporadic response all women, and it would campaign as a mass movement willin tae womnen s. students' movements. Hence, NAC single-issue campaign, which set that issue within a wider context by its methods of campaigning.
From the beginning NAC has stressed thạt defending and extending the law was not enough. Womer HUSL have the right to determine their own lives, and that cannot be done without them controlling their own fertility. Ultimately means complete change in society. But many people can be won to supporting abortion onucilalll 1r turn learn from their own experience the limitations of this demand.
Abortion on demand is not a real choice, unless there are adequate nursery facilities, maternity allowances, housing provisions, and so on. But not people prepared to campaign around abortion set this within a socialist context. This reflects both the strength and weakness o e-soue canan people who would not be they can draw many attracted to broader-based Cabadis. but at the same time - they set up the Lalkl the activists to feel impatient with the limitations.
The fact remains that, had NAC been single-issue campaign would no have had the success it did within the labour movement. without success would not have defeated the anti-abortion bills which followed White's Bill. Issues As the first 'social' issue affecting only women find support within the labour movement in recent years, it led the way for other women's icsues LaKen up More than any other issue ha helped show the inter-relationship between oppression and capitalism the impossibility separating out any single asucl.
Between the major attacks abortion James White in 1975, William Benyon in 1977 and John Corrie in 1979 . there has NA Cs activity. turns in activity. But each time the downturn was less, as more women became committed to the campaign. So, when the last attack came - the nu oCEBOUCI the threat of doctors being prosecuted illegal abortions NAC was able to swing into action, leading the pro-choice organisations into attack. The prosecutions didn't take place.
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ed a private member's bill in parliament, which aim- ed to severely restrict abortions. He was supported by SPUC and LIFE, the two main anti-abortion