Panel discusses pro-choice movement history

Students learned about the past and present of the pro-choice movement in a panel discussion last night co-sponsored by Students for Choice and the Michigan Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League.

Renee Chelian, a representative from the Northland Family Planning Center, began the discussion by telling about the illegal abortion she had in 1966, a procedure that took place when she was 15 years old.

"Have a baby or commit suicide - that's what I felt my options were," said Chelian, who had planned to marry her 16-year-old boyfriend - the only choice, other than abortion, her parents gave her.

She said the abortion was necessary, even though the risks were still high.

I knew "I would have a second chance at my life," Chelian said. "I knew that it was illegal and I could possibly be arrested."

She described the events surrounding the abortion in detail. Her boyfriend's father knew someone who could perform the abortion. Chelian and her father were sent to a meeting place where they were blindfolded and driven to a secret location where the abortion would be performed. She looked around the warehouse that was filled with other women waiting to have abortions.

"Whatever they told us to do, we were going to do," Chelian said.

Chelian was sent home after the procedure and given medication, but had to return to have a follow-up abortion.

After the Roe v. Wade decision made abortion legal, she opened some of the country's first abortion clinics.

"Abortions were legal and women were coming," she said.

The discussion focused on the fact that many supporters of the pro-choice issue are older and many younger people are not being educated on surgery, especially in the medical community. Medical second-year student Mike Evers, co-president of Medical Students For Choice, said abortion training is an option for medical students, but due to tight schedules, is often unfeasible for students.

The issue of legislation and pro-life opposition was also discussed.

"I'm pro-choice, but that doesn't mean I'm not pro-life," Chelian said. "Being pro-choice simply means you can't make the choice for someone else."

Preeti Garg, a representative from Planned Parenthood of Michigan, said the organization does much in terms of pregnancy prevention and deals with a variety of reproductive issues, including pregnancy testing, pre-natal care and gynecological care, as well as a variety of educational and prevention programs.

"We do more in one day to prevent abortions than Right to Life (does) in a year," Garg said.

RC sophomore Carole Patrick said people often don't realize that the issue's legality is at such high risk.

"With it legal, it's easy to take it for granted," said RC sophomore Carole Patrick, adding that people should especially pay attention to the fact many pro-choice representatives' terms are up this year.

04-02-98