The Coat Hanger Project nuances abortion debate
The film itself outshines a typical made-from-home documentary picture with an impressive lineup of interviews that provide a first-hand, historical look at the reality of illegal abortion in the pre-Roe v. Wade era. Testimonials from important figures, ranging from founding member of Jane, an underground illegal abortion ring based in late ’60s Chicago, Heather Booth, to Loretta Ross, a co-founder of the Reproductive Justice Movement, offer a de-glamorized insight into the fatal results that inevitably occur in environments in which abortion is illegal. But Young does not leave the work to the talking heads, instead supplementing their expertise with moving statistical figures that construct a powerful moral framework. Young stunned the Yale audience with the announcement that 80,000 women die annually from complications surrounding illegal abortions. However, Young relays the majority of this graphic realism through dialogue and stays away from making a visually shocking film: a choice that fuels a progressive, albeit controlled temperance in cinematic direction that ultimately feels accessible.
The Coat Hanger Project stumbles in some moments, more often than not due to an occasional one-sidedness to its ideology. At times, the film seems to mildly mock and discredit the ideological opposition. While these instances are rare, they certainly possess an air of dogma. These imperfections deserve to be overlooked, though, in admiration of the film’s primary proposition that makes it a remarkable picture: namely, a divorce between the moral and legal implications of abortion.
The film’s undeniable separation of these two public spheres can be attributed to its celebration of the ambivalence of the human moral character. Brilliant commentary provided by an array of professors and authors attest to the need to recontextualize the topic of abortion, and furthermore to divide the topic into spiritual, moral, and legal terms in promotion of a dialogue that ultimately feels more sensible. The Coat Hanger Project approaches the legality of abortion not as an issue of life, but as an attack on fundamental human rights, and reframes the importance of choice in an agree-to-disagree type of way.
A topic that arose during the Q&A period following the film addressed the difference between being “pro-choice” and “pro-abortion,” and while the film discusses various ideological niches, Young masterfully displays the simple truth that personal moral beliefs need not influence the black-and-white letter of the law. By unshackling morality from reproductive justice, both in an effort to promote ambivalent shades of gray and to cast the debate in a new light, The Coat Hanger Project makes great strides forward in augmenting the evidence in favor of the pro-choice movement by proposing it a choice to be made individually, intimately, and privately, allowing for some much needed common ground.
The group discussion that followed the film spoke much about the film’s message, despite the wide array of views represented by those in attendance. Jessica Moldovan, SY ’11, and Madeleine Rafferty, SY ’10, co-presidents of the Reproductive Rights Action League at Yale (RALY) and co-organizers of the event led the Q&A through a very relaxed progression that seemed to encapsulate the universality of the film’s themes. Young spoke quite objectively about replacing our black-and-white definitiveness with a new perspective on abortion that takes into account human rights and personal judgment. In addition, the questions attested to the effective dismantling of the stigmatic framework surrounding abortion accomplished by The Coat Hanger Project, a direct result of the multi-dimensionality relayed by the coloring of the issue achieved by the film.
Having just finished a European tour with The Coat Hanger Project, Young discussed her current projects with an exciting enthusiasm for the social and political functions of film. With plans to release her next two documentaries—which discuss the HPV vaccine and incest—in the coming year, Young intends to fuel her political activism through her newfound cinematic opportunities. She does not intend to allow abortion to rest upon the back burner, however, and plans to continue efforts to support the movement to bring the complexity of the topic into the limelight on both the domestic and international stage.
“Keep abortion safe, legal, and accessible. No exceptions. No apologies.” Such is her magic mantra, and through an intelligent examination of the undeniable dissonance between the moral and political aspects of the debate, Angie Young joins the ranks of those that triumphantly depolarize abortion in a heavily accessible fashion. And The Coat Hanger Project deserves much recognition.
One Response to “The Coat Hanger Project nuances abortion debate”
Tell us what you think—Post a comment!
Comment from Farhan
Time November 12, 2009 at 12:40 am
The way people view “The Coat Hanger Project” is perfect testimony of the conditional human eye, because when looked at by face-value the project looks like a radical-left-wing political experiment directed by a lesbian who uses cliched social and political antics. But when you study Young’s motives, you begin to realize that she is a woman with one mouth who is trying to speak for the thousands of women who are too afraid to speak for themselves.
I found this documentary to be particulary effective because its theme is built not just around the phrase “women’s rights”, but also “women’s safety”, shocking the audience with its information about the botched abortions and the many women who died before the legalization in ‘73.
I have always believed that the fetus is a dependant collective part of the woman, and that until the umbilical chord is cut, the woman shall do as she pleases with her fetus; so, in the best interest of women’s rights, all abortions, including partial-birth should be legalized, unconditionally. However, that ideology is pro-abortion.
I appreciate the fact that the documentary is prochoice rather than pro-abortion, because it revolves around human (woman) rights and is inspired by the beliefs of the late suffragist Susan B Anthony, in lieu of being a cruel production about world population maintenance.
Great article!