Norma McCorvey, plaintiff of Roe v. Wade, who in 1973 led to the Supreme Court’s recognition of the right to voluntary termination of pregnancy (abortion), was almost coincidentally pushed to the heart of this battle. He will be a fierce opponent eventually, in a reversal that will shock America.
In 1969, when the story of the case began in court, this rural, conservative Southern American was 22 years old, and she was pregnant for the third time. Her eldest daughter, with whom she had a teenager, was raised by her parents, and her second was adopted.
Briefly, married at 16, abused by her family when she admitted they were a lesbian, Norma McCorvey has a serious alcohol problem and doesn’t have a cent in her pocket. More importantly, she realized shortly after the birth of her first child that she wasn’t made to be a mother and she didn’t want to be a mothernarrated by journalist Joshua Prager, author of a very detailed book, The Roe Family.
Except that in 1960s Texas, where she lived, abortion was illegal. There are solutions, in clandestine clinics or the State that allows it, but the young woman just not sosaid Joshua Prager toAFP.
He was referred to lawyers Sarah Weddington and Linda Coffee. Far from being an activist, Norma McCorvey is just looking for a way to end her pregnancy. The two young women are looking for a plaintiff to defend the abortion before the Supreme Court.
This is how Norma McCorvey turns out Jane Roe, name used to anonymize it. His lawyers reached their goal, getting a historic decision from the Supreme Court several years later. But for the girl behind it, it was all too late. She had her son, who was later nicknamed baby Roeand surrender for adoption.
Initially removed from the pro-choice movement, Norma McCorvey emerged from the shadows in the late 1980s, Joshua Prager said. He has conducted numerous interviews, participated in demonstrations, and even written a successful book, I’m Roe.
She aspires to be in the light, but is not united within the feminist movement, little inclined to let her speak. He is not very educated. And they really marginalized himsaid Joshua Prager, making sure he was struck by this denial.
Finally, in the mid-1990s, after spending many years defending access to abortion, even working in a clinic, he declared himself opposed toAbortionshortly after meeting with an evangelical pastor, Flip Benham.
Norma McCorvey converted to Protestantism – then, eventually, to Catholicism – and vigorously defended her new beliefs.
My lawyers never told me that I would fully regret the fact that I was partially responsible for the deaths of 40 to 50 million people.he declared in 2005 before a parliamentary commission.
Ironically, Dallas County prosecutor Henry Wade, who pleaded for the opposite camp before the high court, was in favor of the right to abortion, Joshua Prager assured.
It’s hard to know the real opinion of Norma McCorvey, who died in 2017. The journalist assured us that she told her, at the end of her life, in favor of abortion until the first trimester, so go back to her first public position decision. – and called Roe v. Wade, his law.
Rumors explained his volte-face through the so-called jackpot offered by the other camp. It makes no sense, says Joshua Prager. It remains difficult throughout his life, however made a living his complaintwhich noticeably paid for the speeches.
He was an unexpected activisthe who Love attention, affection, acceptancehe judged.
His eldest daughter, Melissa Mills, expressed anger at the possible overthrow of the Supreme Court in early May.
I think mom will turn her grave, because she’s always in favor of women.he said USA Today.
As for baby RoeShelley Thornton, who has never seen her biological mother again, told ABC News she is convinced Norma McCorvey has become used by both sides, but also benefited both sides.
Source: Radio-Canada
