Abortion in the US

In this episode we are looking into the first time abortion was made illegal in the US. This is the first of a special two-part series looking at the history of abortion in the US and the UK.The overturning of Roe v. Wade in June ended almost half a century of the option to choose whether to continue a pregnancy in the US. But abortion had not always been illegal before Roe v. Wade. So when did this happen? How was it policed? And were all abortions forced into alleyways or were there any safer options?Kate spoke to Professor Leslie J. Reagan from the University of Illinois. Leslie is the author of When Abortion Was a Crime, she explains the forces which drove abortions underground in the late 19th century, the methods of enforcement for these laws and the ways that people found to get around them.*WARNING there is discussion of abortion and death in this episode which some listeners might find upsetting*Produced by Charlotte Long and Sophie Gee. Mixed by Sophie Gee.Betwixt the Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal & Society. A podcast by History Hit.

Om Podcasten

Why did kings and queens have spectators on their wedding night? Who had the very first boob job? And did our ancestors have their unmentionables pierced?Join historian, Kate Lister, Betwixt the Sheets as she unashamedly roots around the topics which seem to have been skipped in history class.Everything from landmark LGBTQ+ court cases, to political scandal, to downright bizarre medieval cures for impotence. The etymology of swear words, gender bias in medicine, and satanic panic and cults - there’s nothing off limits.She'll be bed-hopping around different time periods; from ancient civilisations, to the middle ages, to renaissance and early modern...right up to now.You’ll laugh, you’ll wince, and you’ll ask yourself how much has actually changed.So join Kate Betwixt the Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal & Society - a podcast from History Hit.Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Get a subscription for £1 per month for 3 months with code BETWIXT sign up at historyhit.com/subscribe.You can take part in our listener survey here.