By Barbara Attie, Janet Goldwater and Mike Attie
At the Philadelphia abortion helpline, counselors field nonstop calls from women and teens who are seeking to end a pregnancy but can't afford to, illustrating how economic stigma and cruel laws determine who has access to abortion in America.
ABORTION HELPLINE, THIS IS LISA, winner of the Grand Jury Prize for Shorts at AFI Docs 2020, is a powerful short documentary that exposes how economic stigma and cruel legislation determines who in America has access to abortion.
At a women's health fund in Philadelphia, phone counselors¡ªall called Lisa to protect their anonymity¡ªarrive each morning to the nonstop ring of calls from people who are seeking to end a pregnancy and can't afford to. In 1976, only three years after Roe v. Wade became the law of the land, the Hyde Amendment was enacted with the explicit intention of denying poor individuals¡ªthose receiving Medicaid¡ªaccess to abortion. By giving voice to those affected by discriminatory policies, the film exposes how legislation like the Hyde Amendment ties access to abortion to economic status and denies reproductive justice.
As we head into election season, ABORTION HELPLINE, THIS IS LISA is an essential tool for helping Americans understand the brutal legacy of the Hyde Amendment and why its repeal has become a litmus test for progressive politicians.
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