ABORTION RIGHTS 1992-1994: The Battle Over Planned Parenthood v. Casey

Pro-choice/Pro-life. Pro-choice/Anti-choice. Pro-Reproductive Rights/Anti-Abortion.

Groups of tweens and teens in matching t-shirts with slogans like “Captain Chastity” “I CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST”, “INTOLERANCE IS A Beautiful Thing”, carrying signs saying ABORTION KILLS CHILDREN, plastic fetuses that look like the symbolic babies Jesus you find in King Cakes, graphic and sometimes well designed posters with American flags and dead babies.

Since I began photographing the abortion rights movement in the early 90’s, the language of abortion has changed. How the abortion and reproductive rights language has been framed is relevant, as is the visual language of the movement. While modes for the dissemination of images have changed due to technology and cultural shifts, the visual language of the abortion rights movement has remained fairly consistent.

With the overturning of Roe and Casey, these photographs provide a nuanced view of the battle to maintain abortion rights in the United States.

     
NEW_PC_13_midres

Pro-choice activist confronts Operation Rescue at the annual March for Life, as it passes in front of the US Supreme Court building. Washington DC., January 22, 1992.

OR_DC_174_midres

Pro-choice activists and Operation Rescue at the annual March for Life, Washington DC., January 22, 1992.

OR_DC_181_midres

Operation Rescue at the annual March for Life, Washington DC., January 22, 1992.

Randall_Terry_DC_MFL_midres

Founder of Operation Rescue Randall Terry at the annual March for Life, Washington DC., January 22, 1992.

Church Ladies_DC_2_midres

Church Ladies for Choice in front of The White House during the March for Life, Washington, D.C., January 22, 1992.

Church_Ladies_DC_4_midres

Church Ladies for Choice in front of The White House during the March for Life, Washington, D.C., January 22, 1992.

OR_4057_midres

Anti-abortion activists during the fight against Planned Parenthood v. Casey, New York, 1992.

OR_NYC_1132 copy

Operation Rescue's "Chain of Life" march, New York, 1992.

OR_NYC_1129_midres

Operation Rescue's "Chain of Life" march, New York, 1992.

Operation Rescue, Eastern Women’s Clinic, New York City, 1992.

Operation Rescue, Eastern Women’s Center, New York City, 1992.

Operation Rescue, Eastern Women’s Clinic, New York City, 1992.

Operation Rescue, Eastern Women’s Center, New York City, 1992.

Operation Rescue, Eastern Women’s Clinic, New York City, 1992.

Operation Rescue, Eastern Women’s Center, New York City, 1992.

Operation Rescue, Eastern Women’s Clinic, New York City, 1992.

Operation Rescue, Eastern Women’s Center, New York City, 1992.

Clinic Defense Training, New York City, 1992.

Clinic Defense Training, New York City, 1992.

Clinic Defense Training, New York City, 1992.

Clinic Defense Training, New York City, 1992.

Clinic Defense Training, New York City, 1992.

Clinic Defense Training, New York City, 1992.

Clinic Defense Training, New York City, 1992.

Clinic Defense Training, New York City, 1992.

OR_Goshen_Lousie_Luck_3_midres

Louise Luck(center), wife of abortion provider, Dr. Bernard Luck, looks on as members of Operation Rescue protest at her home, Monroe County, New York, 1992.

_OR_Goshen_210 midres

Operation Rescue protest at the home of abortion provider, Dr. Bernard Luck, Monroe County, New York, 1992.

OR_Goshen_211_midres

Operation Rescue protest at the home of abortion provider, Dr. Bernard Luck, Monroe County, New York, 1992.

NEW_PC_1_midres

Pro-choice activists during the fight against Planned Parenthood v. Casey, New York, 1992.

NEW_PC_6_midres

Pro-choice activists during the fight against Planned Parenthood v. Casey, New York, 1992.

NEW_PC_5_midres

Pro-choice activist during the fight against Planned Parenthood v. Casey, New York, 1992.

new276_midres

Pro-choice activist during the fight against Planned Parenthood v. Casey, New York, 1992.

NEW_PC_NYC_16_midres

Pro-choice activists during the fight against Planned Parenthood v. Casey, New York, 1992.

Students for Choice shout down Nat Hentoff and Pennsylvania Governor Robert Casey, Cooper Union, New York City, October 2, 1992.

In October of 1992, after being denied a platform at the Democratic National Convention, Cooper Union and the Village Voice invited Gov. Robert Casey, the Democrat governor of Pennsylvania, to present his pro-life position. The question Gov. Casey was invited to address, "Can a liberal be pro-life?".

In the Great Hall, where Abraham Lincoln once spoke, activists from ACT UP, WHAM! and Students for Choice filled the room with their voices. Neither Nat Hentoff, columnist for the Voice who introduced Casey, nor Casey was allowed to speak by the protesting audience.

Students for Choice Cooper Union, New York City, October 2, 1992.

Students for Choice, Cooper Union, New York City, October 2, 1992.

Students for Choice Cooper Union, New York City, October 2, 1992.

Students for Choice, Cooper Union, New York City, October 2, 1992.

Students for Choice Cooper Union, New York City, October 2, 1992.

Students for Choice, Cooper Union, New York City, October 2, 1992.

Casey_entering_Cooper_Union_01 copy

Pennsylvania Gov. Robert Casey enters Cooper Union as Students for Choice protest his arrival, New York City, October 2, 1992.

Casey_Hentoff_Cooper_Union_1 copy

Nat Hentoff, Village Voice columnist and the event moderator, introduces Governor Robert Casey, Cooper Union, New York City.

Casey_Hentoff_Cooper_Union_2 copy

Protesters turn their backs on moderator, Nat Hentoff and Pennsylvania Gov. Robert Casey, Cooper Union, New York City, October 2, 1992.

CASEY_STUDENTS_3 copy

Protesters shout down moderator Nat Hentoff and Pennsylvania Gov. Robert Casey, Cooper Union, New York City, October 2, 1992.

Block the Holland Tunnel, New York City, July 2, 1992

Reproductive rights activists, including members of WHAM! and ACT UP, blocked the Holland Tunnel in support of abortion rights. These groups were awaiting the Supreme Court decision on Casey v. Planned Parenthood, which, once decided, affirmed Roe v. Wade while permitting states to impose additional regulations on abortion rights.

‘Block the Holland Tunnel’, New York City, July 2, 1992.

‘Block the Holland Tunnel’, New York City, July 2, 1992.

‘Block the Holland Tunnel’, New York City, July 2, 1992.

NEW_BHT_11_midres

‘Block the Holland Tunnel’, New York City, July 2, 1992.

‘Block the Holland Tunnel’, New York City, July 2, 1992.

Candlelight vigil for Dr. David Gunn, March 11, 1993

Dr. David Gunn was shot and killed by an anti abortion protester after he got out of his car at the Pensacola Women's Medical Services clinic on March 10, 1993.

Gunn_vigil_1_midres

Gunn_vigil_2_midres

PC_Gunn_Vigil_003

NEW_Gunn_vigil_5_midres

Operation Rescue, “Cities of Refuge”, Philadelphia, July, 1993

“Cities of Refuge” was a round of protests planned for seven cities across the United States. These protests were a crucial test of Operation Rescue’s potency, which had been threatened by the election of a pro-abortion rights President, the 1992 U.S. Supreme Court decision upholding basic abortion rights and the March killing of Dr. David Gunn in Pensacola, Fla., by an anti-abortion activist.

Abortion rights activists responded to the campaign with thousands of trained “clinic defenders”.

OR_PH_187

Clergy from Operation Rescue gather to blockade a women’s clinic, Philadelphia, July, 1993.

OR_PH_142 copy

Operation Rescue gather to blockade a women’s clinic, Philadelphia, July, 1993.

OR_PH_02

Members of Operation Rescue gather at a church before a women’s clinic blockade, Philadelphia, July, 1993.

OR_PH_200

Members of Operation Rescue gather to blockade a women’s clinic, Philadelphia, July, 1993.

OR_PH_198

Members of Operation Rescue gather to blockade a women’s clinic, Philadelphia, July, 1993.

OR_PH_191

Members of Operation Rescue in prayer across from a women’s clinic, Philadelphia, July, 1993.

OR_PH_162_midres

Members of Operation Rescue gather for a women’s clinic blockade, Philadelphia, July, 1993.

OR_PH_196jpg

Operation Rescue gather for a women’s clinic blockade, Philadelphia, July, 1993.

OR_PH_158_midres

Operation Rescue march before a women’s clinic blockade, Philadelphia, July, 1993.

OR_PH_156_midres

Operation Rescue march before a women’s clinic blockade, Philadelphia, July, 1993.

Women’s clinic defenders, Philadelphia, July, 1993.

Women’s clinic defenders, Philadelphia, July, 1993.

Women’s clinic defenders, Philadelphia, July, 1993.

Women’s clinic defender, Philadelphia, July, 1993.