Patch suggested by Hannah and conceptualized, designed, and sewn by her friend Emily White; writing by Emily

I deeply believe that art plays a powerful role in social justice activism and was truly honored when Hannah invited me to take part in the creation of a quilt depicting women’s activism throughout the Americas. In the last few years I have devoted a great deal of time and energy to reproductive rights activism so when Hannah suggested that my patch focus on reproductive rights in Mexico I was enthusiastic to say the least.

After the first couple hours of sewing I became paralyzed by the fear that I would not “properly” portray the realities of abortion rights activists and the millions of women effected by current laws governing reproductive rights.  I was scared I would over simplify, represent something incorrectly, or ignore a fundamental aspect of the reproductive rights climate.

I spent several hours on the Internet reading sites from abortion rights and anti-abortion activists, news reports, and articles and eventually realized how impossible depicting the complexities of the reproductive rights struggle in Mexico would be.  I understood that my patch would serve as a reference to a few of the many things that have affected, both positively and negatively, women’s reproductive rights in Mexico.

In the upper right hand corner, where the United Stated would be if the map continued, is a symbol of the Global Gag Rule.  In general, this policy created in 1984 and reinstated on the first day for Bush’s presidency prohibits foreign non-governmental organizations (NGOs) receiving U.S. funds from providing abortion, abortion counseling or related services with their own funds, even if provided in countries where abortion is legal and the NGO's practices are consistent with local law, policy and standards of medical practice (Planned Parenthood).  

In the lower left hand corner is a cemetery symbolizing the women’s lives that have been lost as a result of clandestine abortions.  According to the Grupo de Informacion en Reproduccion Elegida (GIRE, Reproductive Choice Information Group), clandestine abortion is the leading cause of maternal mortality among Mexican women ages 15-39, and an estimated 850,000 to 2 million illegal abortions are performed each year in this country alone. (For more information, contact GIRE, website: http://www.gire.org.mx)

The women’s activism aspect of this patch focuses on the time period of March-August 2000 because it was during this time that Mexican judicial authorities undertook a revision on the articles of abortion in four of the country’s penal codes.  During the time in which lawmakers considered an initiative that would decriminalize the procedure under certain conditions activist from both side of the debate spilled into the streets of Mexico City. In my patch I tried to depict women from all parts of Mexico speaking about reproductive rights and in many cases going to Mexico City to join the hundreds of women gathering in front of Mexico City’s legislative assembly.

The picture of the women coming out of Mexico City is Rosario Robles, the first women mayor of Mexico City serving from 1999 to 2000 and well known for her defense of abortion rights.  I had mixed feeling about putting one woman in the spotlight when so many had worked hard advocating for abortion rights.  I chose to include Robles in my patch because she spearheaded the reforms to the city’s laws on abortion and in doing may set a precedent for other Latin American Countries.