Abstract
While the women’s liberation movement affected almost every aspect of life in the late 1960s and early 1970s, its impact on women’s healthcare proved to be one of the most critical outcomes. Boston, Massachusetts, an intellectual hub during the women’s liberation movement, housed many different organizations advocating for women's rights, such as the Boston Women’s Health Book Collective. Bill Baird, a reproductive rights activist, took advantage of the political and social milieu in Boston to fight for change. Baird was crucial to the healthcare scene in Massachusetts, and ultimately, the entire United States. In 1967, Baird arranged to challenge the Massachusetts “Crimes Against Chastity” Laws, at Boston University. Baird was arrested shortly after giving a 22-year-old, single female, birth control foam. Baird’s involvement in Boston led to the repeal of three sections of the “Crimes Against Chastity” Laws, as well as two Supreme Court cases. This thesis will examine how Bill Baird’s involvement in Boston elevated Massachusetts to the national stage of the women’s liberation movement.
How to Cite
Cobb, G., (2020) ““The Devil of Abortion:” Bill Baird’s Crusade for Reproductive Rights in Boston”, Capstone, The UNC Asheville Journal of Undergraduate Scholarship 33(1).
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