America’s heavily divided stance on abortion is no secret, but last year’s overturning of Roe v. Wade came as a horrible shock to many. In an instant, many Americans lost access to essential healthcare simply because they lived in states where abortion is seen as a crime. We’ve all heard the facts, but perhaps the biggest issue with abortion bans is that abortion restrictions disproportionately affect people in marginalized groups.
According to the Guttmacher Institute, many of these people live at or below the poverty line, and their access to good healthcare is limited. Many of these people also happen to live in states where, because of the Supreme Court’s latest decision, abortion is now illegal. This does not mean people will stop having abortions. It just means that access to abortion care must go underground. Director Tracy Droz Tragos explores the coalition of activists and health care providers banding together across the country to continue to make abortion safe and accessible to everyone in her latest documentary Plan C.
If you are a well-informed social activist, then the information provided to you in Plan C may not come as a surprise. The documentary dives headfirst into the innerworkings of Plan C, an organization that helps distribute abortion pills to those in need. According to their website, their vision is “a near future in which the ability to end an early pregnancy is directly in the hands of anyone who seeks it.” The organization was started by two women — Francine Coeytaux and Elisa Wells — in 2015 and has grown to include an impressive network of individuals who work tirelessly to assist as many people as they can in accessing abortion pills.
Much of Plan C’s work occurs in states where abortion has been outlawed, therefore, Coeytaux, Wells, and the rest of their team are constantly putting themselves at risk. However, their belief in an individual’s right to access abortion care legally far outweighs their fear. A doctor who only goes by the moniker “Dr. E” in the documentary says, “Anarchists look for moments of breakdown in society as an opportunity to create change,” and the overturning of Roe v. Wade was that moment for her. Now she is one of a handful of doctors who work alongside Plan C to get abortion pills to those who need them, regardless of the states they live in.
Plan C is an inspiring overview of the underground abortion movement that has sprung up in response to the overturning of Roe v. Wade. For those who might be unfamiliar with the history and statistics surrounding abortion, the film is extremely informative. It also does an excellent job of treating its subjects with respect as it outlines the harrowing stories of individuals seeking abortions. For many of the people telling their stories in this film, their decision to have an abortion was not easy to make. However, it was the best choice for them in that moment, and Plan C helped them when no one else would. The film is empowering in this way, but it also acts as a radical stand against those who believe a person’s right to choose is anyone else’s business but their own. Watching the film feels like a profound middle finger to anyone who thinks otherwise. Roe v. Wade may have been overturned, but the fight for the right to abortion access is far from over, and the individuals in Plan C are the ones leading the charge.
Photo courtesy of Level 33 Entertainment
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