Choices
From the collection of
Lydia Oh Lydia
- Newcastle upon Tyne
- 1991
Choices
As gut-wrenchingly relevant now as when it was made, some stories are too shocking to ignore.
Living in fear of pregnancy has been a reality for women since time immemorial. Until 1837, women in England could purchase medicines to induce a miscarriage up to around 20 weeks into their pregnancy, without incurring the wrath of the law, or the church. However, this freedom was curtailed by incremental acts of parliament, until even seeking to procure an abortion became a crime. The 1967 Abortion Act gave women in Great Britain a legal route to terminate a pregnancy, but, as the women in this film testify, women still face obstacles to bodily autonomy.
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Returning the Gaze
From reproductive rights to unemployment: women tell their own stories in their own way.
At the time these films were made, the vast majority of camera operators, writers and directors were men. For generations, when women's stories were told in film, they were frequently told by men and from the perspective of the male onlooker. In this collection women are given back their voice, and while the subject matter is diverse, the authenticity of the female perspective shines through in every film.
7 videos in this collection
1
Lydia Oh Lydia
2
Accept Me, I'm Single
3
Choices
4
Break Down the Wall
5
Trouble and Strife
6
Briefing [02/04/1984]
7