New podcast details Alaska's Abortion Debate
A Private Right was produced by Alaska Beacon Deputy Editor Lisa Phu
An excellent new podcast details the abortion debate in Alaska during the last several decades.
Private Right: Abortion in Alaska was produced by Lisa Phu, a deputy editor at the Alaska Beacon. Currently, three episodes are available on Spotify, among many other platforms. The podcast presents interviews and people from both sides of the debate.
“In the podcast, you hear voices from all over the state that talk about how abortion impacts their lives and Alaska,” Phu said. “And I try to talk to people that have a different and nuanced perspective on the issue.”
The first episode would be of particular interest to feminist leaders. It discusses the possibility of a constitutional convention, which would be the primary method that antiabortion legislators would attempt to ban abortion access. Alaska is unique because its state court precedent protects abortion access even though Roe was overturned. The legal precedent is based on the state constitution’s right to privacy. If there were a constitutional convention, there would likely be an attempt to explicitly word a ban on the procedure.
The question of whether to hold a constitutional convention–which the state hasn’t had since its formation–was on the November ballot. Voters decided to not hold one.
The second episode details the life and career of Dr. Carolyn Brown, an abortion provider on the stage for a long time who endured harassment for her work. She received threatening phone calls and had her tires slashed, along with other forms of mistreatment. Brown talks about how she endured the violent period when abortion doctors were murdered.
“All of the horrible things you think a person can go through I went through at the time,” Brown said at one point in the podcast.
The third episode deals with two antiabortion activists in the state. One of the women, Becky Hinsberger, grew up as a supporter of abortion rights and declared herself a feminist. At some point in her life, her views on abortion changed and she dedicated herself to the antiabortion movement.
Phu currently plans on producing more episodes about abortion and how the issue is evolving as the country grapples with a post-Dobbs world.
“What drew me to the issue is–no matter what our timeframe–abortion is a fascinating, interesting topic,” Phu said. “Obviously, given the Dobbs case and the overturning of Roe this past summer. It's just a hot topic no matter what state you're in.”