What if your mother

"It's a passionate rush of language, hope in a hard time, truth in the middle of lies. This poetry sparks and burns with the hidden language and stories of women" -Minnie Bruce Pratt

Judith Arcana, a reproductive rights activist formerly involved in Chicago's pre-Rose v. Wade underground abortion service, imbues her poetry, fiction and essays with the same ferocity, humor and passion that informs her activism. As Grace Paley wrote, "What I love about this important book is how the work Judith began in Chicago years ago has deepened in poetry and prose with love for the lives of women."

In light of the leaked 2022 decision regarding Roe, it's more important than ever that we examine and promote reproductive rights and justice. Judith has been a tireless fighter on this front for decades. Hello. This is Jane. was published on the 48th anniversary of her 1972 arrest as one of the "Abortion 7," which directly inspired the pieces in the collection. Hard to believe that 50 years later, we're now in danger of losing the progress she and so many others fought so hard for. Previously Judith tackled the topics in poetry, with "What if your mother," first released in 2005. Note that this 2nd edition of the book includes an updated preface.

"The title poem ... should be made into a poster and pinned up on the wall in every clinic in the United States." -Peter Bours, MD, longtime abortion provider