Context of the Women's Health Movement 
I think it is important to note the context of which Carol Downer figured out how to do vaginal self-exam and menstrual extraction during the woman’s health movement at this time, the early 1970’s, abortion, birth control and fertility information were not available to women. In addition, there were an estimated 5000 deaths a year from illegal abortion. This concept helped put reproduction and the woman’s body back into the hands of the woman in a safe way. I also feel as though some of the language used in this article has a negative connotation. For example, when it is stated that she “promoted a procedure called menstrual extraction... if she were pregnant, this would constitute a non-professional abortion.” it sounds as if the article is trying to claim that she promoted abortions, which isn’t necessarily true. What she did promote was women reclaiming their bodies and taking them out of the hands of the male-dominated medical world and into their own. She PROVIDED women with means to learn about their bodies at a time where birth control did not exist. I also think it should be noted that after Roe v. Wade, she traveled to Europe, Canada, New Zealand and Mexico, to name a few, and attended national and international conferences as advocates of women’s health rights. In addition, I think it should be specified what the Roe v. Wade decision entailed, and how it made abortion legalized so she was therefore able to establish the women-run clinics. Roe v. Wade has a Wikipedia article and can be linked. 

These contributions are important because the context all of this was a very important time in Women’s Health History. Mentioning the context of the women’s health movement and how she was providing women with the means to take control of their fertility and reproduction when they had no other means to do so and could even face legal persecutions if they did. By adding this, the article will make more sense, especially because it mentions her arrest and things like the Roe v. Wade trial.

From an ES/WGS perspective, the revolutionary time where woman began to take back the control of their bodies. There are many misconceptions around things like abortion even still today. Woman have been criminalized for performing or having abortions in history and even today. And I think it is important to take note of that. Also, Carol Downer has played such a crucial role in Women’s Health and Feminist activism, I was surprised at how short her article was. I also think that The Women’s Health Movement should have it’s own article on Wikipedia (currently there is “Feminist health centers” and “Women’s Health” and “Feminist Movement”)