Reproductive Rights Pioneers Celebrated in Honor of 32nd Anniversary of Roe v. Wade

Washington, DC –The Association of Reproductive Health Professionals (ARHP) celebrates the lives and achievements of two remarkable women: Drs. Elizabeth Connell and Louise Tyrer, with their compelling stories from the ‘40s, ‘50s, and ‘60s, as physicians protecting women’s lives before Roe v. Wade. Both women saw firsthand the devastation and loss of life before abortion was legal in the United States. Today, both express fear and rage about the current state of reproductive rights and family planning in this country and what the future may hold.

“Dr. Connell and Dr. Tyrer represent two of the ‘first voices’ of the pro-choice movement,” says Wayne C. Shields, ARHP president and CEO. “These women are true pioneers in reproductive health and family planning. Their leadership and bravery over the years paved the way for thousands to follow—women and men who have followed in their footsteps, but who don’t know what it was truly like, day-to-day, before Roe v. Wade.”

“These stories need to be heard over and over and over again,” Shields added. “We can’t forget—or let others forget—what life was like for women who had no control over their own reproductive health.”

To read these stories, visit www.arhp.org/bettyandlouise. To learn more about Roe v. Wade, go to www.arhp.org/roevwade.