Pat Maginnis

Patricia Theresa "Pat" Maginnis (June 9, 1928 – August 30, 2021) was one of the earliest American abortion rights activists. Before Roe v. Wade, Maginnis worked towards eliminating rules and regulations governing abortion providers. In addition, she focused on women's rights to control their own body. She shed light on the importance of providing women access to safe and legal abortion services. Maginnis worked to decriminalize terminating pregnancies, speaking out about her personal abortions. She was one of the first people to publicly argue that medical control over women's reproductive rights was destructive and unjust.  

Pat founded the Citizens Committee for Humane Abortion Laws promoting safe and legal abortions in San Francisco around 1962. Later renamed the Society for Humane Abortion (SHA), the committee worked to educate medical and legal personal while running a free post-abortion clinic. Additionally, the SHA ran an underground network helping women access abortions. Obtaining abortions was extremely hard to do as it was rare doctors granted exceptions for "therapeutic abortions." Maginnis and other activists would encourage and teach women seeking abortions how to fake these conditions (psychosis, excess vomiting, etc). She handed out leaflets on how a woman could terminate a pregnancy and taught ways to induce abortion at home. Pat was arrested several times as she often went against anti-abortion laws. 

Once the Supreme Court ruled that women had the constitutional right to abortions, Maginnis worked on other issues such as gay rights and animal welfare. She regularly protested the Catholic church and it's anti-abortion policies, demanding they take responsibility in cases of sexual abuse by priests.   

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Category:1928 births
Category:2021 deaths
Category:American activists