
‘Ask for Jane:’ Who were the pre-Roe underground abortionists?
Half a century ago, Northwest activist Judith Arcana was one of more than 100 women known as ‘Jane’ who aided and abetted illegal abortions.
Megan Burbank is Cascade PBS’ news editor. She was previously an editor/reporter at The Seattle Times and Portland Mercury, and has covered reproductive rights for NPR, The New Republic and Axios.
Half a century ago, Northwest activist Judith Arcana was one of more than 100 women known as ‘Jane’ who aided and abetted illegal abortions.
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Demonstrations by anti-abortion organizers, including the extremist-supported Church at Planned Parenthood group, have doubled in the past year.
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Beyond a rollback of abortion rights, Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson’s team is preparing to face what might come next.