>> Bonnie: HELLO.

I AM BONNIE ERB.

WELCOME TO "TO THE CONTRARY", THE FOURTH ANNUAL FILM FESTIVAL.

IT'S ALL ABOUT WOMEN AND GIRLS.

AS A PLATFORM FOR NEW FILMMAKERS, WE HIGHLIGHT THE BEST WORK, CURRENT EVENTS ABOUT ADVANCING THE RIGHTS OF GIRLS, WOMEN OR DIVERSE COMMUNITIES IN THE U.S. AND U.S. WOMEN'S HISTORY.

THIS WEEK'S WINNER IS IN THE CATEGORY OF US WOMEN'S HISTORY, FILMMAKER LENNY O'SHEA BRINGS US THE STORY OF A COMMUNITY ORGANIZER AND PHILANTHROPIST WHO PURCHASED A RED TELEPHONE FOR HER HOME IN SOUTH CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA, FOUNDING OF WHAT'S NOW THE LOCAL CHAPTER OF PLANNED PARENTHOOD.

>> OH, WELL, WHEN MORNING ON SATURDAY MORNING, THE DOORBELL RANG.

I WENT TO THE DOORBELL AND OPEN THE DOOR.

I STILL HAD ON MY ROBE.

THERE WAS A YOUNG COUPLE THERE, AND THAT WAS THE ONE, THE WOMAN WAS WORKING THERE UP FROM COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA.

HE WAS IN SCHOOL THERE.

AND SHE WAS HELPING HIM TO WORK TO GET HIS PHD OR -- TO GET HIM FINISHED UP COLLEGE.

AND SHE WAS AFRAID SHE WAS PREGNANT.

SHE WAS SO AFRAID.

SO THEY SAID, IS THIS PLANNED PARENTHOOD?

AND I SAID, WHAT THERE IS OF IT.

[LAUGHTER] [PIANO PLAYING] >> SERO BRYANT WAS BORN IN 1922 , SIX YEARS AFTER MARGARET SANGER, FOUNDER OF WHAT'S NOW PLANNED PARENTHOOD, OPENED THE FIRST FAMILY PLANNING CLINIC IN THE UNITED STATES IN NEW YORK CITYARAH GREW UP IN CHARLOTTE AND ATTENDED WITH THE NOW UNC QUEENSBORO IN QUEEN'S UNIVERSITY, THEN ALL GIRL SCHOOLS.

>> WHILE STILL IN SCHOOL, SHE MET AND FELL IN LOVE WITH A STUDENT AN OLD MALE DAVIDSON COLLEGE.

SARAH AND BOB BRYANT GRADUATED IN 1942, MARRIED AND STARTED A FAMILY WHILE RAISING TWO CHILDREN AND EARNING A MASTERS DEGREE IN COUNSELING AT UNC CHARLOTTE.

SARAH COMMITTED HER EDUCATION, TALENT, RESOURCES TO IMPROVING HER COMMUNITY.

SHE WAS A FOUNDING MEMBER OF MORRIS PARK BAPTIST CHURCH WHERE SHE TAUGHT SUNDAY SCHOOL.

THROUGH HER WORK WITH CHARLOTTE LAWRENCE CRITTENDEN HOME PROVIDING SUPPORT AND SERVICES FOR UNWED MOTHERS AND OTHER LOCAL HEALTHCARE ORGANIZATIONS, SARAH REALIZED THE NEED FOR WOMEN TO BE ABLE TO OBTAIN ACCURATE INFORMATION ABOUT REPRODUCTION, REGARDLESS OF THEIR SOCIAL STATUS.

[PIANO] >> WELL, WAY, WAY BACK, THEY DID NOT TALK ABOUT IT.

I HAD A FRIEND IN HIGH SCHOOL WHO HAD GONE AWAY ONE YEAR TO BE WITH HER GRANDMOTHER AND DROPPED OUT OF SCHOOL.

WHEN SHE CAME BACK, SHE HAD A LITTLE SISTER.

AND LATER ON WHEN WE GOT OLD ENOUGH TO UNDERSTAND, FOUND OUT IT WAS HER BABY, SHE HAD GONE AWAY AND HAD A BABY, AND THAT WAS A THE WAY IT WOULD HAPPEN.

IT WOULD BE SO -- NOBODY WOULD TALK ABOUT IT AND NOBODY WOULD -- IT WAS A SECRET.

>> IN THE 1960s THEY WERE STILL A NUMBER OF LEGACIES OF EARLIER RESTRICTIONS.

FOR EXAMPLE, WISHON HAD BECOME A LEGAL THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES STATE-BY-STATE IN THE 19TH CENTURY, AND THOSE LAWS WERE STILL ON THE BOOKS FOR THE MOST PART.

A LAW THAT WAS PASSED IN THE 1870S, THE COMSTOCK LAW, PROHIBITED THE SALE OR CIRCULATION OF BIRTH CONTROL INFORMATION OR DEVICES THROUGH THE MAIL.

SO THAT, THAT LAW HAD BEEN ON THE BOOKS UNTIL THE 1930s, IT WAS CHALLENGED IN THE CASE WITH MARGARET SANGER.

THAT WAS OFF THE BOOKS.

BUT THEY WERE ALL -- OTHER LAWS OF THE STATES THAT PROHIBITED THE USE OF CONTRACEPTIVES EVEN BY MARRIED COUPLES.

IN 1965, THE SUPREME COURT K, GRISWOLD V CONNECTICUT, THOSE LAWS WERE NULLIFIED.

MARRIED COUPLES COULD HAVE ACCESS, COULD USE -- LEGAL USE BOTH CONTROL.

PROHIBITIONS AGAINST UNMARRIED WOMEN USING BIRTH CONTROL REMAINED IN PLACE UNTIL 1972 WHEN ANOTHER SUPREME COURT CASE, EISENSTADT B BAIRD, NULLIFIED THOSE LAWS.

THEN UNMARRIED WOMEN HAD ACCESS TO BIRTH CONTROL.

THROUGHOUT THIS TIME, ABORTION WAS STILL ILLEGAL IN BOTH ACCORDING TO FEDERAL LAW AND ACROSS THE VARIOUS STATES.

>> SO IT'S HARD TO IMAGINE TODAY THAT INTO THE 1960S, CONDOMS WERE NEVER TALKED ABOUT EXCEPT MAYBE MEN IN A LOCKER ROOM IF YOU HAD A REALLY GOOD SPORTS COACH, MIGHT TALK TO YOU ABOUT PROTECTION.

BUT THAT STUFF WAS NOT TALKED ABOUT AND WAS SEEN AS IMMORAL.

THIS IS EVEN BEFORE THE BIRTH CONTROL PILL.

AND SO, WHAT BEGINS TO HAPPEN IN THE 1960s IS AN OPENING UP OF THAT.

MASTERS AND JOHNSON ARE SEX RESEARCHERS .WHAT A WEIRD CONCEPT.

AND THEY WRITE ABOUT HUMAN SEXUALITY, AND THAT HAPPENS IN THE '60S.

THE BIRTH CONTROL PILL BECOMES AVAILABLE IN THE 1960s.

WOMEN TALK ABOUT TAKING CONTROL OF THEIR OWN LIVES AND NOT WAITING FOR MEN TO DO STUFF, THE FEMININE MYSTIQUE BY BETTY FERDINAND COMES OUT IN THE MID-1960S AND SAID, YOU KNOW, WOMEN, DON'T BE LOOKING TO MEANT TO SOLVE YOUR PROBLEMS.

SOLVE YOUR OWN PROBLEMS.

AND SO ALL OF THIS IS GOING ON AND AS WOMEN LOOK INTO WHO THEY ARE AND WHERE THEY WANT TO BE, ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THE BOSTON WOMEN'S HEALTH COLLECTIVE PUT TOGETHER OUR BODIES, OURSELVES WHICH IS ORIGINALLY RUN OFF A MIMEOGRAPH MACHINE.

THEY DON'T WAIT FOR A PRINTER.

THEY FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO IT FOR THEMSELVES CHEAP.

AND ALL OF THAT FEEDS INTO THIS NOTION THAT WOMEN DO NOT HAVE TO BE THE VESSELS OF THE MALE SEXUALITY.

THEY HAVE THEIR OWN SEXUALITY, THEIR OWN CHOICE OF THEIR OWN DESTINY.

NATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR WOMEN IN 1966.

OFTEN WHEN PEOPLE TALK ABOUT BIRTH CONTROL AND ABORTION, THEY LOOK AT REVIEW WADE IN 1973, BUT THERE IS A LONG EFFORT OF BRINGING THOSE IDEAS TO THE FOREGROUND.

SO SARAH BRIAN IS PART OF ALL OF THAT, AND THAT'S A REALLY POWERFUL THING.

>> IN THE LATE 1960s, THE SECOND WAVE OF THE WOMEN'S RIGHTS MOVEMENT WAS ONLY BEGINNING TO EMERGE AS A FORCE FOR CHANGE.

HEALTHCARE AND POLITICAL SYSTEMS REMAIN DOMINATED BY MEN.

IN CHARLOTTE, SOME MALE LEADERS WHO ADVOCATED FOR ACCESS TO BIRTH CONTROL HAD BEEN PROPONENTS OF OTHER CONTROVERSIAL POLICIES, PARTICULARLY COMPULSORY STERILIZATION DURING THE 1940s AND '50s.

IN 1960, THE FDA APPROVED THE FIRST BIRTH CONTROL PILL, BUT IT WAS NOT WIDELY AVAILABLE.

THE 1965 SUPREME COURT RULING IN GRISWOLD VERSUS CONNECTICUT MADE IT LEGAL FOR MARRIED WOMEN TO ACCESS CONTRACEPTION IN 1972.

THE RULING IN EISENSTADT V BAIRD ENABLED ALL WOMEN IN THE UNITED STATES TO ACCESS CONTRACEPTION REGARDLESS OF THEIR MARITAL STATUS.

NEVER A PROPONENT OF EUGENICS.

SARAH SOUGHT TO MAKE INFORMATION ABOUT AND ACCESS TO BIRTH CONTROL AVAILABLE TO THOSE WHO WANTED IT.

HER GOAL WAS TO EDUCATE AND EMPOWER INDIVIDUALS.

[PIANO] >> WOW, I THINK SARAH'S TENACITY WAS ONE OF THE BIGGEST.

I KNOW SHE HAS TOLD YOU THE STORY ABOUT HOW SHE GOT PLANNED PARENTHOOD HERE, SHE WENT TO NEW YORK AND SHE SAID, WE NEED A PLANNED PARENTHOOD IN CHARLOTTE .BUT HER ABILITY TO GET THE COMMUNITY BEHIND HER, SHE WENT TO BANKERS, SHE WENT TO DOCTORS, SHE WENT TO CORPORATIONS AND SAID, YOU NEED TO SUPPORT THIS.

SHE DID NOT TAKE NO FOR AN ANSWER.

NO ONE EVEN SAYS NO TO HER NOW.

UT SHE WENT AFTER IT AND CONTINUE TO GO AFTER IT BECAUSE IT WAS SO IMPORTANT TO HER.

>> THE NOTION THAT SEXUALITY AND PARTICULARLY HAVING BABIES IS NOT SOMETHING THAT JUST HAPPENED, BUT WAS SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE HAD SOME CONTROL OVER, WAS A PUBLIC HEALTH BECAUSE STARTING VERY EARLY IN THE 20TH CENTURY.

AND LEE -- ONE OF THE NATIONAL LEADERS IN PUBLIC HEALTH IN NORTH CAROLINA WAS WALLACE KURALT, ONE OF THE FIRST PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICERS AT ANY CITY EVER HAD ANYWHERE, AND HE WAS VERY MUCH AT THE FOREFRONT OF ALL SORTS OF THINGS, INTEGRATING PUBLIC HEALTH CARE, NURSES HAVING PUBLIC HEALTHCARE NURSES, AND PART OF THAT MOVEMENT WAS THE NOTION THAT PEOPLE WHO WERE NOT FIT TO BE GOOD PARENTS PROBABLY SHOULD NOT HAVE KIDS.

AND ONE WAY TO DO THAT WAS TO PROVIDE BIRTH CONTROL, BUT ANOTHER WAY, WE NOW SAY, UNFORTUNATELY, WAS FOR STERILIZATION.

AND IN AN ERA WHEN PEOPLE WHO WERE SEEN AS QUOTE/UNQUOTE MENTALLY DEFECTIVE OR OFTEN LOCKED UP AGAINST THEIR WILL, THE NOTION OF HAVING THEM NOT HAVE BABIES, EVEN AGAINST THEIR WILL, WAS NOT SO RADICAL.

AND IT IS HARD FOR US TO PUT OURSELVES BACK IN THAT PERIOD, BUT MR. KURALT WANTED A BATH NOR BETTER NORTH CAROLINA, HEALTHIER NORTH CAROLINA, AND LIMITING KIDS TO FOLKS WHO HAD -- COULD CARE FOR THEM AND WANTED TO CARE FOR THEM WAS SOMETHING THAT PERVADED ALL THAT HE DID.

[PIANO] >> WALLACE KURALT AND R JONES, A BANKER IN STATE LEGISLATOR, CAME TO YOU AND SAID, WE WANT YOU TO START A CHAPTER OF PLANNED PARENTHOOD.

>> THEY SAID, WHY DON'T YOU?

[LAUGHTER] >> WHY DON'T YOU START SOMETHING LIKE PLANNED PARENTHOOD?

>> WHAT WAS YOUR REACTION?

>> I SAID, WELL, WE WILL SEE ND I WENT UP TO NEW YORK TO SEE WHAT ABOUT IT.

AND I LOOKED AND THEY HAD A MAP UP THERE WITH THE DIFFERENT PLACES WHERE THEY HAD SOMETHING TO DO.

ONLY FROM RICHMOND TO ATLANTA.

WHEN I SAID WE ARE JUST LIKE THE THIRD WORLD, WE HAVE NOTHING IN NORTH CAROLINA, SOUTH CAROLINA, AND SO THEY SAID, WELL, WHY DON'T YOU START SOMETHING?

AND I HAD A RED TELEPHONE IN MY HOUSE THAT THEY MADE A TELEPHONE NUMBER FOR PLANNED PARENTHOOD.

THEY JUST HAD MY NUMBER.

PEOPLE WOULD CALL ME, AND I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF SENDING THEM TO PEOPLE LIKE DOCTORS AND LAWYERS AND BUSINESS PEOPLE IN HEALTHCARE AND ALL THAT.

>> CHARLIE 1960s AND '70s WAS REALLY A SMALL TOWN BUT IT HAD A HANDFUL OF SKYSCRAPERS, MAYBE ONE-FOURTH OF THE POPULATION IT DOES TODAY, NO MAJOR SPORTS TEAMS.

AND IF YOU WHERE A WELL-TO-DO, WELL-CONNECTED PERSON, EVERYBODY KNEW WHERE YOU WENT TO CHURCH.

THEY KNEW YOUR BUSINESS, AND THAT MEANT IF YOU ARE WELL-TO-DO AND WELL-CONNECTED, YOU KNEW THE MOVERS AND SHAKERS AND COULD MAKE STUFF HAPPEN.

BUT IT ALSO MEANT THAT IT WAS HARD TO MAKE WAVES, BECAUSE PEOPLE KNEW WHO YOU WERE AND THEY WERE NOT AFRAID OF TELLING YOU WHAT YOU SHOULD BE DOING.

>> WELL, THAT WAS WHAT WE DID FOR ABOUT A YEAR, AND THAT'S WHEN THEY TOLD US IF WE COULD RAISE 10,000 DOLLARS WE COULD HAVE -- BECAUSE WE KEPT SAYING SO MANY CALLS CAME IN THAT KIND OF THING, AND WHEN THESE PEOPLE FOUND THEIR WAY, WE DECIDED WE NEEDED A PLACE.

AND SO THAT'S WHEN THEY TOLD US IF WE RAISE THE MONEY, WE COULD GET A PLACE.

>> TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE PEOPLE WHO HELPED YOU EARLY ON.

YOU MENTIONED R JONES AND WALLACE KURALT GETTING YOU INVOLVED.

WHO WERE SOME OF THE EARLY BOARD MEMBERS AND SUPPORTERS?

>> WELL, IT WAS FUNNY.

I WAS EITHER A NAVE OR BOLD OR BABY A BIT OF BOTH.

I WENT TO THE HEAD PEOPLE AND EVERYTHING IN THE MEDICAL SERVICES, THE LEGAL SERVICES, BUSINESS, COMMUNITY SERVICE, EDUCATION AND EVERYTHING.

I WOULD SAY, COULD YOU BE ON MY BOARD?

AND THEY WOULD SAY, HONEY, I'M TOO BUSY.

AND I WOULD SAY, COULD YOU JUST GIVE ME SIX MONTHS OR A WHILE JUST TO TALK ABOUT IT?

THAT'S WHEN WE MET -- WE HAD A MEETING IN THE UNITED WAY LET US MEET UP THERE AT LUNCH IN THEIR PLACE, THE UNITED WAY DID.

AND THOSE PEOPLE BECAME MY FIRST BOARD MEMBERS.

WE GOT A DOCTOR'S OFFICE DOWN ON WYATT STREET THAT HAD BEEN RETIRED, AND THEN ALL OF HIS EQUIPMENT WAS IN THE OFFICE.

HE GAVE US HIS EQUIPMENT.

THEN ONE PERSON WHO HAD HEAD UP MY COUNSELING WAS INTERESTING.

SHE WAS A NUN FROM BELMONT, AND SHE WAS ABSOLUTELY AMAZING.

SHE WOULD COME WALKING IN PLANNED PARENTHOOD WITH HER FULL HABIT ON, THEN LATER WHEN SHE DID NOT HAVE HER HABIT ON, SHE LIKES TO SHOP.

SHE LIKED TO SHOP AND BUY CLOTHES.

SHE WAS VERY GOOD ABOUT SETTING UP A COUNSELING CENTER.

AND SO, WE -- WE DID THAT.

AND THAT'S REALLY HOW WE GOT STARTED.

>> I THINK WHAT SARAH DID BY BEING A SWEET LITTLE LADY FROM THE BEST SIDE OF TOWN, AND SHE LOVED PLAYING THAT ROLE BECAUSE THAT'S REALLY WHO SHE WAS, AND SHE HARNESSED THE CONNECTIONS, THE PRIVILEGE WE WOULD SAY TODAY, TO HELP NORTH CAROLINA, TO HELP CHARLOTTE IN PARTICULAR BECOME PART OF THIS PROGRESSIVE MOVEMENT WHEREBY WOMEN CAN CONTROL THEIR OWN REPRODUCTIVE DESTINIES.

>> WELL, I WOULD IMAGINE THAT IN CHARLOTTE, AS IN OTHER PLACES, EVEN BEFORE ROE VERSUS WADE, THEY WERE DOCTORS PERFORMING ABORTIONS.

BUT YOU HAD TO HAVE A KIND OF SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP WITH THE DOCTOR.

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

IF YOUR PERSONAL DOCTOR COULD DO IT, BUT YOU DID NOT HAVE IT JUST OUT, OUTLANDISH.

I MEAN, IF YOU DID NOT KNOW A DOCTOR TO GO TO, YOU DID NOT HAVE A PLACE TO GO.

>> SO YOU ARE DEALING WITH YOUNG WOMEN WHO WERE IN SOME WAYS DESPERATE.

>> YEAH, THEY WERE.

>> AND LOOKING FOR, FOR HELP THAT THEY COULD NOT GET HERE.

>> WELL, I THINK ESPECIALLY FOR POOR WOMEN AND MINORITY WOMEN, WOMEN WHO UNLIKE SARAH BRYANT AND HER CROWD, HER COHORT WHO MIGHT HAVE ACCESS TO PRIVATE DOCTORS WHO COULD PROVIDE BIRTH CONTROL AND COULD PROVIDE -- EVEN PROVIDE ABORTIONS UPON REQUEST, POOR WOMEN, ESPECIALLY MINORITY WOMEN, HAD NO ACCESS TO ANY KIND OF REPRODUCTIVE CARE, PROBABLY DID NOT HAVE ACCESS TO RELIABLE BIRTH CONTROL WHICH MEANT THEY WERE MORE LIKELY TO BECOME PREGNANT.

THEN ONCE THEY DID, THEY WOULD BE UNABLE TO GET ABORTIONS BECAUSE THEY DID NOT KNOW PRIVATE DOCTORS.

IF THEY DID, THEY WOULD NOT OF HAD THE MONEY TO PAY FOR IT.

OR COULD THEY AFFORD TO TRAVEL TO ONE OF THE STATES THAT NOW ALLOWED ABORTION.

SO THEY WERE REALLY STUCK, OR IN MANY CASES, THEY RELIED ON KIND OF FOLK MEDICINE, VARIOUS REMEDIES WHICH WERE EXTREMELY DANGEROUS TO PREGNANCIES.

SO THEY REALLY PUT THEIR LIVES AT RISK.

>> THEY WERE AND ARE FOLKS WHO FEEL THAT THE BIBLE, THAT THE BOOK THAT THEY KNOW, THE RELIGION THEY KNOW DOES NOT PERMIT CONTRACEPTION, DOES NOT PERMIT ABORTION, WHATEVER.

AND THEY ARE NOT SHY ABOUT TELLING YOU THAT.

AND SO, SARAH BRYANT WAS IN NYU WHERE MOST OF HER NEIGHBORS, IF THEY FELT SHE WAS DOING THE WRONG THING, WE ARE GOING TO TELL HER ABOUT IT.

SO IT TOOK CONSIDERABLE COURAGE.

>> NOT WITHOUT HER CRITICS, SARAH HAD ALLIES, LOTS OF THEM.

IN 1983, DAVIDSON COLLEGE HONORED SARAH WITH THE ALGERNON SYDNEY SULLIVAN AWARD GIVEN FOR EXCELLENCE IN CHARACTER AND SERVICE TO HUMANITY.HEN LOCAL OPPONENTS OF PLANNED PARENTHOOD LEARNED OF THIS, THEY CRITICIZE THE COLLEGE AND QUESTIONED ITS WITNESS OF CHRISTIE'S CHRISTIAN TEACHINGS.

>> SAMUEL R SPENCER THEN PRESTON OF DAVIDSON COLLEGE RESPONDED IN FERROUS DEFENSE STATING THAT, "IT IS MY JUDGMENT THAT IF PLANNED PARENTHOOD AND ITS COUNSELING PROGRAMS DID NOT EXIST, THE NUMBER OF ABORTIONS WOULD BE FAR GREATER."

SPENCER'S CHARACTERIZATION OF SARAH IS A WOMAN OF FAITH WITH AN ABILITY TO LEAD AND ENCOURAGED TO ENGAGE, DIFFICULT TO WORK ITSELF, COMPLICATED PROBLEMS, HAS INSPIRED COUNTLESS OTHERS.

SARAH BRYANT'S MISSION TO MAKE INFORMATION ACCESSIBLE AND TO PROVIDE WOMEN WITH CHOICE HAS HAD A TREMENDOUS POSITIVE IMPACT ON OUR COMMUNITY, A NEW GENERATION OF LEADERS IS CONTINUING HER WORK AND ANSWERING THE CALL.

[PIANO] >> TEEN PREGNANCY HAS BEEN REDUCED ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

TEEN PREGNANCY HAS BEEN REDUCED IN NORTH CAROLINA, AND I THINK THAT THAT'S A TREMENDOUS ACCOMPLISHMENT IN OUR SOCIAL STRUCTURE GOING FORWARD.

>> WELL, I JUST SAW HOW MUCH THIS PEOPLE WERE APPRECIATING IT.

THEY REALLY APPRECIATED IT.

IN THE FIRST, FIRST MONTH THAT WE HAD OUR CLINIC OPEN, WE HAD 30 PEOPLE TO COME, 30 YOUNG WOMEN.

OF COURSE NOW WE GIVE HEALTHCARE OF ALL KINDS, AS WELL AS CONTRACEPTION AND BIRTH CONTROL, AND IT'S NOT ABORTION ANYMORE, EXCEPT NOW AND THEN WHEN THEY NEED IT.

>> PLANNED PARENTHOOD OF CHARLOTTE SPONSORED THE PUBLICATION OF THE LOVING BOOK, THE LOVING BOOK CAME OUT IN 1971, WRITTEN BY TWO GUYS.

BUT IT WAS THE FIRST POPULAR MANUAL THAT TALKED ABOUT BIRTH CONTROL.

AND IT WAS PUBLISHED IN CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA.

LAST I CHECKED, STILL IN PRINT.

AND SO, I DON'T THINK SARAH BRYANT INVENTED THAT.

I THINK THAT ENERGY WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS HERE, AND SHE SAID, OKAY, WE CAN DO THAT.

AND PLANNED PARENTHOOD WAS AT THE FOREFRONT OF PEOPLE HAVING CONTROL OF UNDERSTANDING OF THEIR SEXUALITY, THE REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH, THINGS WE TAKE FOR GRANTED TODAY OPENED UP BECAUSE OF THE WORLD THAT SARAH BRYANT HELPED CREATE.

>> I THINK WE REALLY HAVE TO THINK ABOUT TWO STRANDS: ON ONE HAND THERE WAS THE ESTABLISHMENT AND THE GROWTH OF PLANNED PARENTHOOD WHICH KIND OF LAID THE GROUNDWORK FOR REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS AND SERVICES AT THE LOCAL LEVEL, COMMUNITY LEVEL.

AND THAT WAS VERY IMPORTANT.

BUT OF COURSE THERE WERE STILL MANY LEGAL RESTRICTIONS ON WHAT WOMEN COULD HAVE WHETHER IT WAS ACCESS TO BIRTH CONTROL OR ESPECIALLY ACCESS TO ABORTION.

THEN STARTING IN THE MID TO LATE '60s, THE WOMEN'S MOVEMENT BECAME ACTIVE.

ONE OF THE MAIN ISSUES THAT THE WOMEN'S MOVEMENT ADDRESSED WAS REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS FOR WOMEN, ESPECIALLY INCLUDING ABORTION.

SO THERE WERE DEMONSTRATIONS, MANY PUBLIC STATEMENTS AND GAINED A LOT OF PUBLICITY VERY QUICK.

THE ISSUE OF WOMEN'S REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS ON THE PUBLIC AGENDA.

IN A WAY THAT PLANNED PARENTHOOD, ESPECIALLY AFTER THE ERA OF MARGARET SANGER, REALLY HAD NOT.

MARGARET SANGER HAD BEEN QUITE SENSATIONAL IN HER TIME, IN THE '20s AND '30S.

THE '40s AND '50s, PLANNED PARENTHOOD HAD KIND OF FADED INTO THE WOODWORK.

IT WAS A SORT OF -- NOT ESPECIALLY PROMINENT PUBLIC ORGANIZATION, BUT THE WOMEN'S MOVEMENT REALLY PUT REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS FRONT AND CENTER ON THE PUBLIC AGENDA.

BUT WHEN WE LOOK AT THE APPROACH THAT WAS TAKEN BY SOMEONE LIKE SARAH BRYANT, WE SEE A REALLY DIFFERENT SET OF TACTICS.

SHE UNDERSTOOD THAT SHE WAS OPERATING IN A VERY CONSERVATIVE ENVIRONMENT.

AND WHAT'S INTERESTING IS THAT COMMUNITY LEADERS CAME TO HER AND ASKED HER TO START A CHAPTER.

OF COURSE, SHE WAS ALREADY INCLINED TO DO SO BECAUSE OF HER OWN EXPERIENCE AND/OR KNOWLEDGE OF THE COMMUNITY AND THE NEEDS OF THE WOMEN IN THE COMMUNITY.

>> WE ARE TEACHING THE YOUNG PEOPLE, AS WE SAID AND WHEN I RETIRED, I SAID I WILL PASS IT ONTO THE NEXT GENERATION, IN THE NEXT GENERATION IS TRULY PICKING IT UP.

>> LIKE, A NEW GROUP OF ACTIVISTS THAT ARE FORMING AT PLANNED PARENTHOOD, WE WORK WITH OUR GENERATION ACTION COLLEGE GROUPS, CAMPUSES, WE WORK WITH TEENS THAT ARE IN HIGH SCHOOL THAT ARE FINDING WAYS TO BECOME YOUNG LEADERS AND TO TAKE ACTION ON THEIR OWN IN THEIR HIGH SCHOOLS.

SO I THINK THAT IN THE FUTURE, PLANNED PARENTHOOD 'S BASE WILL SHIFT TO REPRESENT THAT OF THIS COUNTRY AND I THINK THAT THE YOUNG PEOPLE WILL BE THE VOICE OF THE FUTURE.

SO I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT THEY ARE THE ONES THAT ARE SPEAKING OUT, BECAUSE PLANNED PARENTHOOD WILL BE HERE FOR THEM.

>> IT'S AN ORGANIZATION THAT GOES BACK 47 YEARS.

SO IT'S NOT GOING AWAY.

IT'S PART OF A NATIONAL ORGANIZATION THAT GOES BACK 100 YEARS.

SO WE ARE NOT GOING AWAY.

WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO NOT ONLY PRESERVE IT, BUT TO MAKE IT GROW> GET INVOLVED IN ANYTHING THAT YOU ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT.

AND IF REPRODUCTIVE HEALTHCARE IS YOUR ISSUE, THEN FIND A WAY TO GET INVOLVED AND BE INSPIRED BY OLDER GENERATIONS AND MAKE IT YOUR OWN.

SO ANYTHING THAT YOU DO, JUST MAKE SURE IT'S MEANINGFUL.

>> WHAT MESSAGE WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEND TO PEOPLE WHO WATCH THIS VIDEO?

WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO TELL THEM THAT'S IMPORTANT TO YOU THAT YOU THINK THEY SHOULD HEAR?

>> I WOULD SAY TAKE A LOOK AROUND YOU AND SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING, WHAT'S HAPPENING TO THE YOUNG PEOPLE AND WHAT'S HAPPENING TO THE WORLD AND SEE WHERE YOU CAN PUT YOUR -- PUT YOUR HELP AND WHERE YOU CAN TAKE PLACE.

[PIANO] >> Bonnie: WE HOPE YOU FOUND [PIANO] >> Bonnie: WE HOPE YOU FOUND THIS ADDITION OF OUR ALL ABOUT WOMEN AND GIRLS FILM FESTIVAL IN LIGHTNING.

PLEASE FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER AND VISIT OUR WEBSITE, PBS.org/TOTHECONTRARY.

AND WHETHER YOU AGREE OR THINK "TO THE CONTRARY", SEE YOU NEXT WEEK.

[MUSIC] FOR A TRANSCRIPT OR SEE AN ONLINE EPISODE OF "TO THE CONTRARY," PLEASE VISIT OUR PBS WEBSITE AT PBS.ORG/TOTHECONTRARY.