Merle will discuss personal, political, psychological, and philosophical reflections of her 51-year journey as one of the first abortion providers in the country before Roe, building the largest and most comprehensive feminist medical center in the US, some of her battles in the on-going war against women’s freedom, her work in Russia, her radical political work in the past and during this current crisis, and her own abortion.
She’ll share stories of allies and enemies, reflecting how she came to view the abortion struggle as a power struggle, a positive moral good, and a mother’s act.
Merle will also have copies of her book, Intimate Wars: the Life and Times of the Woman Who Brought Abortion from the Back Alley to the Boardroom, available for sale and signing.
Merle Hoffman is an internationally known leader in the struggle for women’s rights, a healthcare pioneer, founder of women’s health, political, and reproductive rights organizations and a prize-winning writer and publisher. Her work spans over 50 years and continues today, proving to be more essential and relevant than ever in the ongoing fight for women’s human rights, concentrated in the right and ability to make their own reproductive choices.
She established Choices Women’s Medical Center, one of the country’s first abortion clinics, in 1971, two years before the U.S. Supreme Court legalized abortion nationally in the Roe V. Wade Decision. She continues to serve as President and CEO, implementing and expanding her initial vision of empowering women and girls through reproductive choice with the best care possible. Today Choices is one of the nation’s largest and most comprehensive women’s medical facilities, providing abortion services, birth control, gynecology, pre-natal care, counseling services, Tele-Medicine, and specialized care for teens and the LGBTQ community, along with extensive educational outreach to schools, prisons, and women’s organizations. Through the years Merle has been outspoken in supporting women’s reproductive choice and opposing attacks on abortion rights and access.
Sunday Platform is our most important and long-standing community event. These gatherings educate, stimulate personal growth, inspire reflection and action, and strengthen our community. Sunday meetings begin with music, followed by greetings and a talk given by a Society Leader, member, or guest. Platforms cover a variety of topics that reflect current events, pressing social issues, and Humanist philosophy. Each Sunday meeting is followed by a luncheon and social hour.
To watch previous Sunday Platforms, visit our Videos page and YouTube channel.
