Comments on: Pro-choice Protest Pics Please!

Question: Pro-choice Protest Pics Please!

speranza — Sun, 23 Apr 2006 09:39:42 -0800

I'm trying to find images of feminist protests...

Specifically, I'd like to find pictures of early pro-choice protests and/or Victorian feminist protests. I've Googled and gone through all the feminist sites/zines I can think of, but all I can find are small, blurry, not very good quality pictures. I also need to be able to use the images, as this is for a pro-choice activist blog in a country (Northern Ireland) where abortion is currently illegal (the "theme" is loosely "well, we had to start somewhere", which is why I'm looking for older pictures.) I'd be willing to pay for really good images. Thanks!

By: andrew cooke

andrew cooke — Sun, 23 Apr 2006 09:58:00 -0800

you've probably looked here already, but just in case: 1, 2 at wikimedia.

By: funambulist

funambulist — Sun, 23 Apr 2006 10:30:43 -0800

Is something like this and this ok?
there's more like that for that period in a google image search for "suffragettes".

this looks like it might be from the 60's/70's but it's hard to tell with all the retro fashion revivals.

There's some photos on corbis too, just search "feminism". I'm pretty sure there's lots of stuff from the Magnum archives but they don't even allow you to search if you're not a customer and I guess most of the older photos are not searchable online anyway.

There's links to archive photos here but it's all premium content and you need to register (7 day free trial).

By: rexruff

rexruff — Sun, 23 Apr 2006 10:44:49 -0800

Not strictly pro-choice, but a variety of images of women's movement protests from the 60s, 70s. And links to the Chicago Graphics Collective, which has a huge variety of buttons and posters....
http://www.chicanas.com/sjsu/womensmovements.htm

By: mediareport

mediareport — Sun, 23 Apr 2006 12:01:21 -0800

This is one of those times when books are a better tool than the web, if smaller, low-resolution images are a problem. Scan them yourself out of a good feminist history book.

By: soviet sleepover

soviet sleepover — Sun, 23 Apr 2006 12:28:44 -0800

Check out the fantastic book Suffragettes to She-Devils: Women's Liberation & Beyond, by Liz McQuiston. It's primarily a history of feminist protest art, lushly illustrated, but has quite a few protest images included. It should be easy to find at any academic library.

By: Miko

Miko — Sun, 23 Apr 2006 12:48:07 -0800

Try using the term "suffragists" too. "Suffragettes" is falling out of favor because of the archaic diminutive "ette" suffix.

By: nuclear_soup

nuclear_soup — Sun, 23 Apr 2006 14:00:23 -0800

Here are some from a WITCH protest.

By: TheRaven

TheRaven — Sun, 23 Apr 2006 14:03:46 -0800

If you are prepared to pay, Getty Images is an excellent source, as they took over the old Hulton Archive. A search for suffragettes, for example, turns up 130 images, including the Pankhursts, various meetings, arrests of suffragettes and so on. I am sure you think of other relevant searches. And good look with your campaign.

By: bim

bim — Sun, 23 Apr 2006 14:10:52 -0800

And the term, "abortion rights" was used long before the euphemism of "pro-choice."

In terms of suffrage (we had to get the vote before we could discuss legalized abortion), if you take the in depth tour here you'll get numerous images like these.

Here's another suffrage related link. And of course a google images search comes up with this.

You might find some interesting links at Smith College (a long time women's college).

Though its more recent, this video might be very interesting -- When Abortion Was Illegal: Untold Stories (1992). It's got a creative commons license. Unfortunately the internet archive is often ungodly slow at downloading. Try it at a non-peak time if interested.

Good luck.

By: bim

bim — Sun, 23 Apr 2006 15:11:52 -0800

I downloaded that video. It's excellent and discusses the history of abortion rights. It would be well worth a link. Maybe host it somewhere other than the internet archive. Check it out.