Clandestine Warriors for Justice by Mia Spiteri

Clandestine Warriors for Justice:

The Janes Who Saved Women in the Pre-Roe Era

by Mia Spiteri [CW: abortion]

The Janes is a moving feature documentary which could not have come at a more timely hour.

Just months ago, the landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling of Roe v Wade was overturned. The decision reignited discourse on the need for reproductive rights, and sparked fears for the future of female reproductive health. In the same year as this announcement comes a feature on the Abortion Counseling Service of Women’s Liberation.

The expository work by Emma Pildes and Tia Lessin explores the underground abortion clinic of Chicago organised and operated by self-proclaimed “warriors for justice.” We meet a group of women who created a space for themselves in the male-dominated rights movement with “a lot of testosterone” – a group of women operating under the name of ‘Jane’. Undeniably, the documentary focuses on the pivotal women in the Jane Collective, but also the critical need for abortion care and access.

Relentless in their support for women and their abortion journeys, the Jane Collective facilitated more than 11,000 safe, low-cost, illegal abortions between 1968 and 1973. Many of these were performed by the Janes themselves. Legislation in Chicago during this period criminalised abortion, as well as conspiracy of involvement. Many women pre-Jane sought assistance from the Chicago mafi a – which was oftentimes a dangerous way to terminate a pregnancy. Former Jane member Katie describes Jane as an “outrageous undertaking by a lot of smart women.” If you were unmarried, pregnant, and looking for support, Jane answered the call.

In the decade prior to Roe v Wade, an estimated 200,000 to 1.2 million illegal abortions occurred per year, with many self-induced under desperate circumstances as women took abortion into their own hands. This led to a large-scale hospital phenomen of septic abortion wards dedicated to women who had chemical burns, perforations to the bladder, vagina, or uterus, life-threatening infections or septic shock. The Janes features the Cook County hospital which had a 40-bed Septic Abortion Ward. It is unsettling to learn that death became a common occurrence here.

Directors Pildes and Lessin prioritise the voices of the Janes, allowing them to give fi rsthand accounts in a series of intimate interviews. You can feel the sense of trust these women have in each other, and their vulnerability on screen is gripping. The Janes aren’t afraid of politics, nor of doctors, who were the kings of the day. The highly patriarchal medical structure of the decade meant that women’s understanding of their own bodies and health was fi ltered by their doctor, who was in most cases male. Additionally, prescription birth control was accessible only to married women, or women wearing a wedding ring. Doctors decided who would be left at risk of unwanted pregnancy.

The personal testimonies are powerful. Each Jane featured brings forward stories, accounts and pivotal moments. For many, it is their fi rst time sharing their experience on record. Jody, another former Jane, highlights a “philosophical obligation … to disrespect a law that disrespected women.” With the stability of Roe v Wade unravelling before our eyes, The Janes reminds us of the cruel realities women face when their rights to medical care are limited. This knowledge, which puts the work of Jane into a new context, weighs on the mind and soul as the documentary continues.

Clandestine Warriors for Justice:

What becomes increasingly apparent is the refi ned skill, competency and capacity of Jane, so easily underestimated by law enforcement. The women recount the use of code names and undisclosed locations in order to protect the operation. The scale of Jane is revealed by their clientele, which radical lawyer Michael notes “included daughters, wives, mistresses of police, state attorneys [and] judges.” Eleanor makes particular note of the fi rst policewoman to call Jane, leaving her work number at the station in her voicemail.

In an interview with W Magazine, director Tia Lessin spoke on the creative choice to feature a range of documentary participants: “It was important to us to show that it was such a diversity of people. They were college students; they were homemakers. There were women with quite a few children — Martha had four — and women brought their children with them to their procedures. One of the Janes has said that most of the women she counselled were mothers who didn’t want their second or third or fi fth or sixth child.”

Watching The Janes, I feel a deep emotional resonance with the women. Their storytelling is captivating, and I cannot help but feel frustrated and disheartened knowing the work stemming from Roe v Wade has been undone. This documentary has informed me of the horrifi c consequences likely to reoccur in the United States without the protective legislation. Navigating a world post-Roe overturning is riddled with uncertainty, especially now that there is a precedent for our individual rights to be redefi ned. Can we have faith that a new generation of Janes will answer our call?

Aside from the women on screen, the documentary is curated with care and clear emotional intelligence. The music choices bring a well-defi ned balance suited to respective scenes. We hear high-intensity instrumental pieces refl ecting the tribulations of Jane, and uplifting underscoring during moments of hope.

Pildes and Lessin also make strong use of archival footage. The 1960s and 70s are brought back to life with colourful tape of Chicago street scenes, protests, and meetings of the young Janes.

Former Jane member Laura proclaims “we were really ordinary women and we were trying to save women’s lives. We wanted every woman who contacted us to be the hero of her own story.” As you watch, it becomes increasingly clear that these women are anything but ordinary.

References

• Eckardt S. “The Janes” Is the (Surprisingly Uplifting) Abortion Story We Need Right Now [Internet]. W Magazine. W Magazine; 2022 [cited 2022 Oct 20]. Available from: https://www.wmagazine.com/culture/ the-janes-hbo-documentary-abortion-directors-interview • Lessons from Before Roe: Will Past be Prologue? [Internet]. Guttmacher Institute. 2004 [cited 2022 Oct 20].

Available from: https://www.guttmacher.org/gpr/2003/03/lessons-roe-will-past-be-prologue • Twitter. 2022 [cited 2022 Oct 20]. Available from: https://twitter.com/MJ_OTTAWA/status/1553200945085009922 • Radio F. Filmwax TV: Emma Pildes & Tia Lessin (THE JANES) [Internet]. YouTube. 2022 [cited 2022 Oct 20].

Available from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxgw6HUb4sI&ab_channel=FilmwaxRadio • The Janes | Watch the Movie on HBO | HBO.com [Internet]. 2022 [cited 2022 Oct 20]. Available from: https://www.hbo.com/movies/the-janes