LMLD (4): Changing Activism

 

I asked: "What is different about how the fight for reproductive rights is waged today? What’s the same?"

Christine: I think there are two primary differences. When you’re of a generation like Maria is where you live through a time when there were no rights or rights were very limited for women, where you fought very hard for them, you understand the magnitude of not having them. I worry that young people today are used to access and choice. I would hate to lose the rights and to have to reclaim them. I don’t think that young people are complacent but it's hard to understand how horrible life would be without those rights. So activism is key. Your activism is amazing because you are further removed. It’s heartening. The great thing of your generation now is social media. I think it's a phenomenal motivating force. It can’t be quashed by corporations that own news channels for example and decide what kind of content will be driven. You guys can get around all of that shit and you can mobilize. It’s huge. The internet has downsides but the way social media has evolved, it’s a very powerful force in fighting for rights in general and sharing information.

Maria: I felt that in my generation, it was almost grounded in religion and conception issues. It was the civil rights era with movements that gave people a voice. I sort of worry now that it’s the last of these voices. There is a religious group of people that take on a central role in media that distort what rights we actually have and how we fought for them. It makes me feel that it’s a very scary time. There was talk about states trying to rescind the laws that were taking effect and that constitutionally they could be reversed. I wonder where our country is going now in having power with the Supreme Court. I don’t know. We have a very vocal group of conservative people that could change things radically.

Alex

1965. my grandma holds my mom.