Senior Project Advisor

Peter Pihos

Document Type

Project

Publication Date

Fall 2022

Keywords

abortion, reproductive rights, Catholicism, oral history

Abstract

Despite the hardline anti-abortion position of the Catholic Church, the majority of American Catholics have shown support for abortion and other reproductive freedoms since the 1970s. The organization Catholics for a Free Choice, now known as Catholics for Choice, is a prime example of such support in the face of Church opposition. I posit that the prominence, position, and impact of Catholics for a Free Choice in the 1970s and 1980s displays the existence of a distinctly Catholic pro-choice movement. This movement is set apart by its direct confrontation of Church hierarchy and its primary existence within the Catholic sphere; although the movement also organized with and against secular forces, it was primarily carried out by Catholics, and in later years, its primary opposition became Catholic institutions.

The oral history addendum to this project displays an individual woman’s experiences with bodily autonomy before and after Roe v. Wade. It shows how she navigated both religious and legal barriers to reproductive care. This provides insight into women’s lives at multiple pivotal historical moments, as well as their beliefs, thoughts, and feelings on reproductive issues.

Department

History

Subjects - Topical (LCSH)

Abortion--Government policy--United States; Abortion--Law and legislation--United States; Abortion--Religious aspects--Catholic Church; Reproductive rights--United States--History; Women--Interviews

Subjects - Names (LCNAF)

Catholics for a Free Choice (Organization)

Genre/Form

oral histories (literary works); essays

Type

Text

Rights

Copying of this document in whole or in part is allowable only for scholarly purposes. It is understood, however, that any copying or publication of this document for commercial purposes, or for financial gain, shall not be allowed without the author’s written permission.

Language

English

Format

application/pdf

Download

Included in

History Commons

Share

COinS