Out of Silence: Abortion Stories from the 1 in 3 Campaign from Advocates for Youth on Vimeo.
ThinkProgress: A play based off of people’s real experiences with abortion has hit the road, heading to college campuses across the country — many of them in states where abortion isn’t exactly applauded. Last week, students at the University of Montana at Missoula performed the play, called Out of Silence, in an area where one of the few abortion clinics in the state is located. And on Wednesday, a school in the far southern Texas town of Brownsville, the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV), will host the first of the three performances at different colleges across Texas, the state with the most extreme restrictions on women’s access to abortion in the country.
4 comments:
This is what theater should be. It is telling an important story about human experiences in an effort to speed awareness, encourage empathy, and spark change. Abortion is a gigantic issue that affects all of us. It is a keystone for women rights and every story is different. I love that they are trying to encourage women to open up about their experiences and lessen the secrecy surrounding this experience. Abortions can be a terrifying and emotionally destructive experience, and it is important that the women who have gone through this know that they are not alone, that other women have the same stories and are there for support. That's the thing about abortion that people in politics tend to ignore. The choice to have an abortion is never easy (nor should it be) and it is a raw, sometimes heart wrenching experience. I hope that is show shows that with as much integrity as possible. It is also my hope that the performers represent a variety of stories and situations surrounding abortion. There are a plethora of reasons why a women would choose, or be medically required, to do this. The more people know, and are aware of this topic, the better. I also hope that this show comes to CMU.
Too often when we talk about controversial subjects, like abortion, we talk about what generalization of the issue is, not the people who have been a part of it. As a women, the concept of abortion is absolutely terrifying, and as I am writing this trying to think of a more difficult decision a person can make, I've decided that there isn't one. I have had many conversations with friends about whether we would get an abortion should the situation arise, and the answers are always the same, yes or no, it is life altering, and even if you do decide to get an abortion, it's not something that can be forgotten about, it haunts you, for the rest of your life. I think this is why the piece is so important, because it lets people know that the are not alone, whether they have already been through an abortion, or trying to make the choice, it is important to know that no matter what decision is made the woman will be supported. I would be interested to see how this show does with different audiences, and age ranges, I hope that regardless of demographic, it is with sympathy and understanding.
I am so happy to see Colleges take on this project. Regardless of whether or not someone is pro-life or or pro-choice I still believe that it is a fundamental right to all women to have access to abortion. I understand with the state of Texas making headlines on cutting their funding to show more support to those on the pro-life side, unfortunately it has been leading many women to be sneaking non-FDA approved abortion pills over the borders and has cause people to put their health in danger. So by having college which are meant to pride a safe environment to engage in new ways of thinking to reach higher educational standard might be the push in the right direction those in Texas need to hear and understand the people they are really hurting. College tends to be a great starting ground for real change because people there are for the first time in their lives given the chance to make choices on their own and be respected for them.
I think the production of these pro-choice plays is more important than we may give them credit for. In the aftermath of the events in Colorado, plays like these lend both visibility and an understanding to the events leading up the the horrible event itself. I also believe that having these productions on college campuses in Texas (Yeah, I didn't believe it either, the first time I read it.) is a potentially earth-shattering way to make these plays even more relevant and educational. Too often do we hear about teen pregnancy rates and lack of women's health care in states like Texas, both of which are issues that, regardless of pro-life or pro-choice allegiance, people need to be more aware of, and perhaps take part in changing. I think that this change is beginning (both because of the plays mentioned in this article and also because of the spike in college productions of plays like CMU SoD's current production of "Milk Like Sugar" a play that takes on these very topics with an unflinching take on the life of impoverished young women, the very people who need this new visibility the most.) and I'm excited to both see where this goes, and to hopefully be a part of similar productions.
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