Extraordinary: The Fight for Reproductive Justice

The politics of motherhood around the world

Thu, 02 Oct 2025 04:00:00 GMT

Abigail Leonard is an American journalist who was living in Japan when she become a mother. Noticing the differences between Japanese and American parenthood, she wrote Four Mothers to see what it was like to be a mother in other countries and cultures. She followed moms through their birth experiences and first years in Kenya, Japan, Finland, and the United States. What she found is that government policy profoundly shaped each woman's ability to manage--and occasionally even enjoy--bringing a new baby into their lives.

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"All persons born or naturalized..."

Fri, 27 Jun 2025 17:30:30 GMT

Today, June 27th, the Supreme Court has released a decision that helps Donald Trump chip away at our 14th Amendment rights. What better day to publish our interview with Kris McDaniel Miccio, who has been touring as a speaker on the 14th Amendment and the urgency of understanding what it means for and to us. The conversation also explores how historical conceptions of gender, race, and rights continue to shape contemporary struggles for equality.

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Frenchman, freedom fighter, & father of the abortion pill

Fri, 06 Jun 2025 15:00:00 GMT

In the 1980s, this French Jewish doctor who spent his teen years fighting Nazis developed RU-486, a.k.a. the abortion pill, a.k.a. mifepristone. We take a look at where he fits into the history of reproductive science and birth control, in honor of his recent passing at age 98.

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Special episode! The mysteries of menstrual pain

Thu, 22 May 2025 04:00:00 GMT

This week, I'm excited to introduce you to a new favorite show of mine: CRAMPED. Kate Helen Downey investigates the extreme period pain that she -- and millions of others -- have suffered from, with little to no help from medical science. And it's a delight to listen to.

You can find the whole series at https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cramped/id1778101696 and https://katehelendowney.substack.com/

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Springtime Mini-sode

Thu, 10 Apr 2025 18:10:00 GMT

This Spring mini-episode is here to say, Hey, yeah, I *know* ... it's been ... a lot. And also to recommend some really amazing shows to add to your feed while we keep cooking up Season 2.

Links & things mentioned:

Book club for How Fascism Works: https://rhymeschemes.substack.com/p/introducing-the-read-along-how-fascism

The Cramped podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cramped/id1778101696

The Amplify Her podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-amplify-her-podcast/id1454328058

And yes, Elizabeth Hinton does do good things.

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The One with the Abortion Story

Wed, 27 Nov 2024 11:00:36 GMT

When’s the last time you saw a movie or TV show with an abortion story? According to researcher Steph Herold, it’s probably more recently than you think! We discuss the surprisingly long history of abortion stories on screen, as well as how they impact our perceptions and politics. We’ll cover everything from ‘Sex & the City’ to 'Yellowstone,' ‘Knocked Up’ to 'BoJack Horseman'.

See links & resources mentioned in this episode at: https://theextraordinarypodcast.substack.com/

Guest

Steph Herold, MPH is an award-winning activist and social scientist with a background in abortion care, abortion funds, and reproductive health advocacy. She currently is a Researcher at ANSIRH where she studies depictions of abortion on American film and television with the Abortion Onscreen program.

Find Us Online

- Website: https://shows.acast.com/extraordinary-the-fight-for-reproductive-justice

- Substack: https://theextraordinarypodcast.substack.com/

- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_extraordinary_podcast

- Merch: https://theextraordinarypodcast.substack.com/

Credits

- Host & Producer: Carolyn Silveira. Website: www.carolynsilveira.com, Instagram: @cmoneycmonster Substack: https://rhymeschemes.substack.com

- Theme music: Katrina Zemrak

- Cover art: Mauricio Diaz

About Us

Extra+Ordinary is a despair-free podcast about abortion & reproductive justice that looks to the past – to fuel our fight for the future.

Join host Carolyn Silveira, a writer and social justice advocate, for inspiring stories of the people and moments that changed history, giving women (and all people) more control over our bodies and lives. From an evangelical doctor who became an abortion provider to “nice housewives” who risked jail time to help other women, we’ll learn how ordinary people can do extraordinary things.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"You are not giving up, and neither am I."

Fri, 15 Nov 2024 20:08:06 GMT

In our first episode following the 2024 election, we reflect on what happened by turning again to this podcast's patron saint, Rebecca's Solnit. Carolyn shares Solnit’s message after the election, how it compares with her 2004 election analysis, and we get specific about the real wins abortion & reproductive rights made. We ground ourselves in the long timeline of history and emphasize that whatever part you choose to play in what's to come, you are needed.

Highlights:

00:48 Rebecca Solnit's Election-Night Message of Hope

04:11 The Spiral of Progress and Personal Reflections

05:17 Organizing and Activism in the Trump Era

06:48 The Birth of the Podcast

08:58 From Past to Present

14:51 My Reactions & Reasons for Hope

18:14 The Comstock Act and Legislative Efforts

For links to this episode's sources and further reading, please visit https://theextraordinarypodcast.substack.com/.

Find Us Online

- Website: https://shows.acast.com/extraordinary-the-fight-for-reproductive-justice

- Substack: https://theextraordinarypodcast.substack.com/

- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_extraordinary_podcast

- Merch: https://theextraordinarypodcast.substack.com/

Credits

- Host & Producer: Carolyn Silveira. Website: www.carolynsilveira.com Instagram: @cmoneycmonster Substack: https://rhymeschemes.substack.com

- Editor: Carolyn Silveira

- Theme music: Katrina Zemrak

- Cover art: Mauricio Diaz

Additional music in this episode:

Future Ambient (loop ver.3) by AudioCoffee -- https://freesound.org/s/762747/ -- License: Attribution NonCommercial 4.0
Kinesis Stellae - Lead by Vrymaa -- https://freesound.org/s/767437/ -- License: Creative Commons 0

About Us

Extra+Ordinary is a despair-free podcast about abortion & reproductive justice that looks to the past – to fuel our fight for the future.

See bonus content at: The Extra+Ordinary Podcast

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Professor Ziegler explains it all

Thu, 10 Oct 2024 19:05:24 GMT

In this episode of Extra+Ordinary: The Fight for Reproductive Justice, host Carolyn Silveira interviews Mary Ziegler, a legal historian and expert on the American abortion debate. They explore the legal history of abortion from the 1800s to the present, and how it evolved along with changes in medical science, politics, and the Supreme Court.

00:00 Introduction to Extra+Ordinary Episode 7

00:52 Zooming Out: The Legal Perspective on Reproductive Justice

03:07 Historical Context: Abortion Laws in the 19th Century

06:43 The Evolution of Abortion Laws and Movements

13:51 The Impact of Roe v. Wade and Subsequent Legal Battles

23:43 The Role of the AMA and Medical Community

28:51 Current and Future Legal Landscape

Guest

Our guest, Professor Mary Ziegler, is one of the world's leading authorities on the legal history of the American abortion debate.Today, she works as a Guggenheim Fellow and Martin Luther King Professor of Law at the University of California, Davis.

Find Us Online

- Website: https://shows.acast.com/extraordinary-the-fight-for-reproductive-justice

- Substack: https://theextraordinarypodcast.substack.com/

- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_extraordinary_podcast

- Merch: https://theextraordinarypodcast.substack.com/

Credits

- Host & Producer: Carolyn Silveira. Website: www.carolynsilveira.com, Instagram: @cmoneycmonster Substack: https://rhymeschemes.substack.com

- Editor: Carolyn Silveira & Jennifer Bassett

- Theme music: Katrina Zemrak

- Cover art: Mauricio Diaz

About Us

Extra+Ordinary is a despair-free podcast about abortion & reproductive justice that looks to the past – to fuel our fight for the future.

See bonus content at: https://theextraordinarypodcast.substack.com/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The student who took down a state law

Thu, 19 Sep 2024 23:59:56 GMT

We're back from our summer vacation! In this episode, we discuss recent news, including Kamala Harris's debate and the story of Amber Nicole Thurman, before meeting Emma Donnelly, a college student who took on the state of Maine. Where the Purdue students in our last episode had smooth sailing with the winds of administrative support at their backs, Emma found her campaign for campus vending machines dead on arrival thanks to a century-old law that forbade selling potions at carnivals. Note: Not appropriate for young listeners.

Find Us Online

- Substack: https://theextraordinarypodcast.substack.com/

- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_extraordinary_podcast

Credits

- Host & Producer: Carolyn Silveira. Website: www.carolynsilveira.com, Instagram: @cmoneycmonster Substack: https://rhymeschemes.substack.com

- Producer: Jennifer Bassett, Big Din Productions Website: www.bigdinproductions.com

- Editor: Carolyn Silveira

- Theme music: Katrina Zemrak

- Cover art: Mauricio Diaz

About Us

Extra+Ordinary is a despair-free podcast about abortion & reproductive justice that looks to the past – to fuel our fight for the future.

See bonus content at: https://theextraordinarypodcast.substack.com/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From Italy to Indiana: Contraception at the push of a button

Thu, 01 Aug 2024 08:00:02 GMT

In our last episode, we learned how hard it was to get the FDA to approve Plan B for over-the-counter sales. Now we’ll meet four women who have made sure it is both affordable and accessible in their community. Andrea DeMaria is a public health researcher at Purdue University who leads study-abroad programs in Italy that focus on women’s reproductive health. She and her students wanted to replicate the pharmacy vending machines they observed in Florence on Purdue’s campus. The university's administration was supportive and 2 machines began offering condoms, Covid tests, ibuprofen, and, most importantly (because it works better the sooner it's taken), Plan B. Two vending machines quickly became eight! How does this fly in a conservative state like Indiana, and will other universities follow their lead?

00:00 Introduction to Extraordinary Podcast

00:53 From Plan B’s past … to Plan B today

02:39 Meet Dr. Andrea DeMaria

03:41 Pharmacy Vending Machines in Italy

06:13 Bringing the Idea to Purdue

08:29 Student Involvement and Impact

11:38 Excitement About the Machines

14:32 Use and Impact of the Vending Machines

22:46 Future Goals and Broader Impact

Guest

Our guest Dr. Andrea DeMaria is a professor in the Department of Public Health and Senior Director, Applied Research & Evaluation at March of Dimes. We spoke to students Sophia Patel, Haley Sidorowicz, and Zoe Baker.

Find Us Online

- Substack: https://theextraordinarypodcast.substack.com/

- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_extraordinary_podcast

Credits

- Host & Producer: Carolyn Silveira. Website: www.carolynsilveira.com, Instagram: @cmoneycmonster Substack: https://rhymeschemes.substack.com

- Producer: Jennifer Bassett, Big Din Productions Website: www.bigdinproductions.com

- Editor: Carolyn Silveira & Jennifer Bassett

- Mixing: Max Liebman

- Theme music: Katrina Zemrak

- Cover art: Mauricio Diaz

About Us

Extra+Ordinary is a despair-free podcast about abortion & reproductive justice that looks to the past – to fuel our fight for the future.

See bonus content at: https://theextraordinarypodcast.substack.com/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If at first you don’t succeed, try Plan B again

Thu, 18 Jul 2024 08:00:38 GMT

Plan B, also known as “the Morning-After Pill” isn't too different from The Pill itself … but it was decades before women could get it. We explore the roller coaster history of bringing emergency contraception to our pharmacy shelves with policy analyst Kirsten Moore, who was riding that roller coaster too. Loop the loop with us through literal truckloads of paperwork, meetings on Washington DC park benches, lawsuits, betrayals, corporate buyouts, leaked FDA documents, public resignations, and McDonald’s-level ad campaigns.

01:21 What Emergency Contraception is and isn’t

02:03 A speed-history from hormones to contraceptives

03:57 Kirsten's path to a career in Reproductive Health

11:22 The birth of Plan B

15:02 Behind the counter, or over it?

17:24 Political intrigues by president

24:01 The “Wahoo!” moment

28:37 Reflections on bureaucratic warfare

Guest

Our guest, policy analyst Kirsten Moore, is Director of the EMAA Project (Expanding Medication Abortion Access).

Find Us Online

- Website: https://shows.acast.com/extraordinary-the-fight-for-reproductive-justice

- Substack: https://theextraordinarypodcast.substack.com/

- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_extraordinary_podcast

Credits

- Host & Producer: Carolyn Silveira. Website: www.carolynsilveira.com, Instagram: @cmoneycmonster Substack: https://rhymeschemes.substack.com

- Producer: Jennifer Bassett, Big Din Productions Website: www.bigdinproductions.com

- Editor: Carolyn Silveira & Jennifer Bassett

- Mixing: Max Liebman - Theme music: Katrina Zemrak

- Cover art: Mauricio Diaz

About Us

Extra+Ordinary is a despair-free podcast about abortion & reproductive justice that looks to the past – to fuel our fight for the future.

See bonus content at: https://theextraordinarypodcast.substack.com/

Additional music in this episode:

rams horn2 .wav by mutatorscotch -- https://freesound.org/s/400806/ -- License: Attribution NonCommercial 3.0
String quartet in Paris street.m4a by lmartins -- https://freesound.org/s/544004/ -- License: Attribution 4.0

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The doctor preaching the gospel of abortion rights

Wed, 03 Jul 2024 15:56:16 GMT

Dr. Willie Parker considers being a traveling abortion provider in the Deep South his life’s work and true calling. But as an OBGYN raised in a Black, Protestant community in Alabama, Dr. Willie Parker spent years dodging the issue of abortion entirely. It wasn’t hard to do. That is, until his hospital eliminated abortion care entirely, forcing him to choose between his dream job and his conscience. Note: This episode includes some content inappropriate for children and potentially upsetting for some listeners.

See links, resources, and bonus content for this episode at: https://theextraordinarypodcast.substack.com/

Guest

Dr. Willie J. Parker is an OB/GYN specializing in abortions and a reproductive justice advocate and is the former Medical Director of Planned Parenthood Metropolitan Washington, DC.

His book, Life’s Work: A Moral Argument for Choice, was published in 2017.

Find Us Online

- Website: https://shows.acast.com/extraordinary-the-fight-for-reproductive-justice

- Substack: https://theextraordinarypodcast.substack.com/

- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_extraordinary_podcast

- Merch: https://theextraordinarypodcast.substack.com/

Credits

- Host & Producer: Carolyn Silveira. Website: www.carolynsilveira.com, Instagram: @cmoneycmonster Substack: https://rhymeschemes.substack.com

- Producer: Jennifer Bassett, Big Din Productions Website: www.bigdinproductions.com

- Editor: Carolyn Silveira & Jennifer Bassett

- Mixing: Max Liebman - Theme music: Katrina Zemrak

- Cover art: Mauricio Diaz

About Us

Extra+Ordinary is a despair-free podcast about abortion & reproductive justice that looks to the past – to fuel our fight for the future.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Meet "Jane," the abortion activists who bested Chicago's mob

Thu, 20 Jun 2024 08:00:52 GMT

“Pregnant? Don’t want to be? Call Jane…” In Chicago in the 1960s, abortion was illegal and the Chicago mob was the only option. Until an underground collective, known as Jane, decided to step in. Filmmakers Emma Pildes and Tia Lesson discuss their HBO documentary, 'The Janes,' sharing insights into the bravery and activism of these ordinary people who helped thousands of women.

02:02 Filmmakers Emma Pildes and Tia Lessen

02:21 The Origins of The Janes

02:59 The Context of the 1960s

05:23 Heather Booth: The Organizer

07:18 The Risks and Challenges Faced by The Janes

10:13 The Impact and Legacy of The Janes

20:44 The Current State of Reproductive Rights

23:34 Call to Action: Be the Change

Guests

Emma Pildes

Tia Lessen

Resources

Watch The Janes on Max or with you library card at Kanopy
Donate to abortion funds: https://abortionfunds.org/
General resources about abortion: https://www.ineedana.com/
Other films & dramas about the Janes:
https://www.kanopy.com/en/product/jane-abortion-service
Book: The Story of Jane by former member Laura Kaplan*

Find Us Online

- Website: https://shows.acast.com/extraordinary-the-fight-for-reproductive-justice

- Substack: https://theextraordinarypodcast.substack.com/

- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_extraordinary_podcast

- Merch: https://theextraordinarypodcast.substack.com/

Credits

- Host & Producer: Carolyn Silveira. Website: www.carolynsilveira.com, Instagram: @cmoneycmonster Substack: https://rhymeschemes.substack.com

- Producer: Jennifer Bassett, Big Din Productions Website: www.bigdinproductions.com

- Editor: Carolyn Silveira & Jennifer Bassett

- Mixing: Max Liebman - Theme music: Katrina Zemrak

- Cover art: Mauricio Diaz

*(affiliate link)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How Estelle Griswold broke the law to change the law

Thu, 20 Jun 2024 08:00:36 GMT

You might have heard of Griswold v Connecticut, a major Supreme Court case from the 1950s … but do you know who “Griswold” was? We’d like you to meet Estelle—Estelle Griswold, and learn about her adventurous life as a singer, Parisian expat, WWII humanitarian, and mid-life medical student. All these experiences would prepare her for the work that made her legacy with Planned Parenthood and the Supreme Court. We explore the legacy of Griswold’s legal battle for contraception access and its far-reaching impacts on privacy, women's rights, and prosperity—even today.

00:00 The Overturning of Roe v. Wade

01:19 The Inspiration Behind the Podcast

03:06 Estelle's Early Life

04:39 Estelle's Journey to Planned Parenthood

09:06 The Legal Battle Begins

18:25 Griswold v. Connecticut: The Supreme Court Case

22:16 The Legacy of Griswold v. Connecticut

25:29 The Lasting Impact of Contraceptive Access

27:26 Next Episode Preview

Guest

Professor Martha J. Bailey provides context on the historical and material effects of reproductive justice, underscoring the importance of continued activism in light of recent court decisions.

Estelle Griswold’s voice comes to us thanks to the Schlesinger Library at the Harvard Radcliffe Institute.

Resources

Read Hope in the Dark*

Learn about the idea of Reproductive Justice: https://www.sistersong.net/about-x2

Donate to abortion funds: https://abortionfunds.org/

General resources about abortion: https://www.ineedana.com/

Find Us Online

- Website: https://shows.acast.com/extraordinary-the-fight-for-reproductive-justice

- Substack: https://theextraordinarypodcast.substack.com/

- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_extraordinary_podcast

- Merch: https://theextraordinarypodcast.substack.com/

Credits

- Host & Producer: Carolyn Silveira. Website: www.carolynsilveira.com, https://rhymeschemes.substack.com

- Producer: Jennifer Bassett, Big Din Productions Website: www.bigdinproductions.com

- Editor: Carolyn Silveira & Jennifer Bassett

- Mixing: Max Liebman - Theme music: Katrina Zemrak

- Cover art: Mauricio Diaz

*affiliate link

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ordinary people doing extraordinary things

Thu, 06 Jun 2024 21:13:08 GMT

Reproductive rights and abortion access have been under attack, but there's hope if you know where to look ... starting with the past. Get a sneak peek of the stories we'll tell on this new narrative show hosted by writer and activist Carolyn Silveira.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.