Fifty years ago this March, the Supreme Court ruled on a landmark privacy case — one that gave all Americans, married and unmarried, the right to access and use birth control. The ruling came down in a case known as Eisenstadt v. Baird, and it’s been called the precursor to Roe v. Wade.
Well, the “Baird” in that case is Bill Baird, then a young activist for women’s reproductive rights. In the ensuing years he won a number of other legal battles, was arrested at least eight times in five states, founded the Parents Aid Society, and worked tirelessly to ensure access to reproductive health care around the country.
Baird joins host Robin Young on his 90th birthday to discuss the world before Roe v Wade and his concern about women’s health if that decision is overturned.
This article was originally published on WBUR.org.
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