Before Roe v. Wade, Laura Kaplan of The Janes was part of a small group of young women in Chicago who built an underground network that saved thousands of lives. Their work began quietly; however, it soon became a vital lifeline for women who had nowhere else to go.
This week on The Women’s Current, Sylvia Beckerman and co-host Molly Wadzeck sit down with Laura Kaplan, a member of The Janes and author of The Story of Jane: The Legendary Underground Feminist Abortion Service. Her book remains the most complete account of how the group worked. It also shows why their efforts still matter today.
Inside the World of Laura Kaplan and The Janes
Laura Kaplan takes us inside the world of The Janes. In this episode Laura explains how the collective formed and how they operated in secret. In addition, she shares moments of fear and moments of deep connection. Each story shows how urgent the need was and how brave these women had to be.
She reflects on the choices women faced before Roe and why that history still matters. For example, many younger activists ask Laura how The Janes organized and what kept them going. As a result, her conversations with them help connect past struggles to current realities.
Connecting Generations, Then and Now
Molly brings a Millennial lens to the conversation and explores how Laura Kaplan The Janes connects past action to present movements. She also reflects on how Laura’s generation of organizing speaks to the one rising now. As a result, the discussion becomes an intergenerational look at how women have always helped one another — and why that truth carries power today.
Is the tide turning?
Or is the tide reminding us of what women have already done, and what we can still choose to do together?
In this episode, Laura Kaplan shares:
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How The Janes began as a small group of young women determined to help others
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Why secrecy, trust, and collective training became the backbone of their work
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The emotional weight of the choices women faced before Roe
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How the collective provided safety, dignity, and human connection
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What surprised her most about the early days of the organization
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The moment The Janes realized they had to expand their work
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How everyday women stepped into roles they never imagined
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Why this history still matters — and what it teaches us in 2025
Sylvia and Molly also explore:
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The bridge between Laura’s generation and today’s younger activists
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What collective action looks like now vs. then
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How history repeats itself — and how women continue to show up for one another
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Why understanding The Janes changes the current conversation around autonomy
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The power of women refusing to step back, even when the world tells them to
About Laura Kaplan
Laura Kaplan is an author, activist, and original member of “The Janes,” the underground feminist abortion service that operated in Chicago from 1969 to 1973, providing safe, affordable reproductive care to more than 11,000 women before Roe v. Wade. She is the author of the definitive history The Story of Jane: The Legendary Underground Feminist Abortion Service, a groundbreaking inside account of the courage, risk, and collective strength that defined the movement.
For decades, Laura has continued to advocate for reproductive autonomy and women’s collective action, ensuring that the history of The Janes — and the lessons they offer — remain visible and understood by new generations.
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