The War on Choice

March 15, 2004
The right wing is eroding women's reproductive rights, and America's pro-choice majority must sound the battle cry, writes Feldt, president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, in this provocative work. The "war" goes beyond abortion, Feldt claims, to encompass "the right to have full access to family planning information, facilities, and products, the right to have children or not, sex education for young people that goes beyond the abstinence-only education being promoted by the right wing, and the right to medically accurate information." Feldt assumes her readers are pro-choice (she says it's necessary to "speak to the choir"), and for them, this book reveals how doctors are giving ideology-based information to patients, the rights of fetuses are being elevated and U.S.-funded organizations abroad are forbidden to teach family planning. Feldt's angry and personal tone, coupled with her liberal quoting of conservative sound bites (e.g., "There is no way to have premarital sex without hurting someone") makes for thought-provoking, challenging reading. She excels when giving concrete plans for how individuals can activate change, but her strong opinions leave little room for disagreement. For example, pro-choicers who support the Unborn Victims of Violence Act (aka the Laci Peterson Law) could feel alienated by some of Feldt's assertions. Oversimplifications and unsupported statements also mar the work. This book isn't for those on the fence about choice, and it definitely won't convince conservatives. However, it's an excellent tool for staunch supporters of reproductive rights; it will rouse readers to fight for change. (Apr. 13)

Forecast:
Expect Feldt's book to get a lot of media play. The publisher plans sponsorship announcements on public radio, print ads and national publicity.

April 15, 2004
Feldt, president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, offers a clear call to arms for women concerned about the erosion of reproductive rights. She chronicles the efforts undertaken by antiabortion groups to roll back legalized abortion and access to birth control, including the campaign to end "partial birth abortions," a nonmedical term devised by antiabortion groups for public relations effect. Feldt provides a perspective on the social, cultural, and legal history of birth control and abortion in the U.S. since Margaret Sanger, including personal accounts of women who remember the dangerous days before legal abortions. Feldt includes interviews with political figures of both parties and focuses on the expedient positions taken by politicians enthralled with the money and clout of the Right. Feldt details the strategies employed by extremist groups to block women's reproductive rights and what women can do to counteract those efforts and maintain hard-won freedoms. "Reproductive self-determination is the most fundamental civil and human right a woman can have," Feldt declares in this powerful look at women's reproductive issues.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2004, American Library Association.)