We'll discuss the origins of Planned Parenthood, the abortion debates of the twentieth-century, the early birth-control movement, the role of the Supreme Court on this issue and, most especially, the fact that reproductive rights are legally rooted in the constitutional right to privacy.

The Legal Roots of Reproductive Rights and the Birth Of Planned Parenthood

Lawrence Cappello at Strand Bookstore

Fri, Jun 2 at 7 p.m.   |   90 minutes


15% of all proceeds from this event will go to Planned Parenthood.

The week Donald Trump was elected president Planned Parenthood experienced one of the largest donation surges in its hundred-year history. In March, Vice President Pence cast a tie-breaking vote on a controversial bill that moved Congress one step closer to defunding clinics that offer abortion services. Women’s rights organizations are furious. Articles and op-eds are everywhere. Some in the Pro-Choice movement predict Roe v Wade will soon come under reexamination by the Supreme Court.

This lecture will bring listeners up to speed on the legal history of reproductive rights in America beyond Roe v Wade. Topics will include the origins of Planned Parenthood, the abortion debates of the twentieth-century, the early birth-control movement, the role of the Supreme Court on this issue and, most especially, the fact that reproductive rights are legally rooted in the constitutional right to privacy. Front and center will be a retelling of the three most important reproductive rights cases in US legal history – including Roe.

Listeners are invited to move beyond the typical reactions that so often accompany this emotionally charged issue, and gain a better grasp of exactly how reproductive rights are positioned and protected in our laws.

Teacher: Lawrence Cappello

Lawrence Cappello is a Professor of Constitutional History at the University of Alabama and the author of None of Your Damn Business: Privacy in the United States from the Gilded Age to the Digital Age. His essays have appeared in The Wall Street Journal, The Atlantic, and The Nation. He was recently profiled by The Economist.


Venue: Strand Bookstore
Add to Calendar June 2, 20177 p.m. June 2, 2017 America/New_York Think Olio | The Legal Roots of Reproductive Rights and the Birth Of Planned Parenthood We'll discuss the origins of Planned Parenthood, the abortion debates of the twentieth-century, the early birth-control movement, the role of the Supreme Court on this issue and, most especially, the fact that reproductive rights are legally rooted in the constitutional right to privacy. None

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