Ada Donno, Consiglia Pulli, Norma, and translator Stefania Navazio at Fondo Verri, Lecce, Italy - August 20, 2017
Video in italiano: Parlandone 50 anni dopo - "Noi e il nostro corpo" (Italian version). Con Norma Swenson, Judy Norsigian, Jane Cottingham, Filomena Rosiello,
Vicky Franzinetti, e Carlotta Cossutta.
Vicky Franzinetti, e Carlotta Cossutta.
Video of Norma at Lecce - Guardate i Video
Videography by Cristina Comperini, Editing by Marzia Vaccari. Translator for Norma Swenson: Stefania Navazio
Part 1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4GuT5bWxSSM
Part 2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8OSb70I8WI
Part 3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VyjBKM1lZ40
English translation of the introduction text found at the link to the video, (above):
INTRODUCTION by the Lecce, Italy, feminist organizers to the Videotape of the August 20, 2017 informal meeting with Norma Swenson, a Founding Co-Author of Our Bodies, Ourselves, for guests at the Fondo Verri theater in Lecce, translated from Italian. Please direct questions or comments to/invia i vostri domande e commenti a: Norma Swenson [email protected].
Thank You!
“Meeting with Norma Swenson, American feminist sociologist, expert in women's health and gender in medicine. Swenson is one of the founders of the Boston Women's Health Book Collective, the organization known today as “Our Bodies, Ourselves,” the name of their original book. Known in Italy as the text "noi e il nostro corpo,” the book addressed all aspects related to the well-being and ailments of women’s bodies (contraception, abortion, menopause, venereal disease, use of drugs, treatment of alternative medicine, addresses of centers for self-managed care, etc.}, following a completely different approach from that of official medicine. The publication of the book in Italy slightly preceded what turned out to be a crucial year, 1975, when the first bill on the liberalization of abortion was presented in parliament. This popular reading was a fundamental step for the "different" awareness and for the perception of the female body free from stereotypes and prejudices.
In the meeting. the problems related to the "medicalization of the body", to the dynamics of mental illness and, above all, to today's debate on assisted procreation and the “rented uterus” are updated. Norma Swenson does not shy away from innumerable questions from the public. With generosity she recounts the political practices undertaken in various parts of the world.
The initiative at Lecce was promoted and organized by the kind efforts of:
Ada Donno, Consiglia Pulli, Caterina Gerardi, Luisa Rizzo Pagano, Margherita Reho, Cristina Comperini, Giovanna Giuncato,
Carla Visciola, Santa De Siena and the activists of the Casa delle Donne, Simona Cleopazzo , Paola Torsello,
Mina Schito of Lecce Bene Comune, Maria Cucurachi of Flusso, Anna Caputo of ARCI Provinciale."
INTRODUCTION by the Lecce, Italy, feminist organizers to the Videotape of the August 20, 2017 informal meeting with Norma Swenson, a Founding Co-Author of Our Bodies, Ourselves, for guests at the Fondo Verri theater in Lecce, translated from Italian. Please direct questions or comments to/invia i vostri domande e commenti a: Norma Swenson [email protected].
Thank You!
“Meeting with Norma Swenson, American feminist sociologist, expert in women's health and gender in medicine. Swenson is one of the founders of the Boston Women's Health Book Collective, the organization known today as “Our Bodies, Ourselves,” the name of their original book. Known in Italy as the text "noi e il nostro corpo,” the book addressed all aspects related to the well-being and ailments of women’s bodies (contraception, abortion, menopause, venereal disease, use of drugs, treatment of alternative medicine, addresses of centers for self-managed care, etc.}, following a completely different approach from that of official medicine. The publication of the book in Italy slightly preceded what turned out to be a crucial year, 1975, when the first bill on the liberalization of abortion was presented in parliament. This popular reading was a fundamental step for the "different" awareness and for the perception of the female body free from stereotypes and prejudices.
In the meeting. the problems related to the "medicalization of the body", to the dynamics of mental illness and, above all, to today's debate on assisted procreation and the “rented uterus” are updated. Norma Swenson does not shy away from innumerable questions from the public. With generosity she recounts the political practices undertaken in various parts of the world.
The initiative at Lecce was promoted and organized by the kind efforts of:
Ada Donno, Consiglia Pulli, Caterina Gerardi, Luisa Rizzo Pagano, Margherita Reho, Cristina Comperini, Giovanna Giuncato,
Carla Visciola, Santa De Siena and the activists of the Casa delle Donne, Simona Cleopazzo , Paola Torsello,
Mina Schito of Lecce Bene Comune, Maria Cucurachi of Flusso, Anna Caputo of ARCI Provinciale."
English language links to issues raised at the meeting:
The “rented uterus”, or commercial surrogacy/"L'utero affittato", o maternità surrogata commerciale:
https://surrogacy360.org/ Work produced primarily by staff at Our Bodies, Ourselves, 2018.
Abortion and SASS/Aborto e SASS (Aborto autogestito; Sicuro e supportato) acronimo per (aborto auto-somministrato) January 12, 2018:
Self-managed abortion - embodying principles - reproductive justice :
Aborto autogestito - principi incarnanti - giustizia riproduttiva
FGM or Female Genital Mutilation/MGF o Mutilazione Genitale Femminile, January 28, 2018:
The village that gave up FGM and gender taboos because of economics.
Il villaggio che ha abbandonato i tabù di genere e di genere a causa dell'eonomia.
She Ran From the Cut, and Helped Thousands of Other Girls Escape, Too.
Lei correva dalla 'tagliato', e aiutato anche migliaia di altre ragazze a fuggire.
Obstetric Violence/Violenza Ostetrica, 2017:
How Italian Women Are Organizing Against Obstetric Violence
Come le donne italiane si organizzano contro la violenza ostetrica
Mental Health/Salute Mentale :
Psychiatry and Mental Health [2014 US Government documents]: Work of Italians Franco & Franca Basaglia]
Psichiatria e salute mentale [Documenti governativi degli Stati Uniti del 2014]: Il lavoro degli italiani Franco e Franca Basaglia]
The “rented uterus”, or commercial surrogacy/"L'utero affittato", o maternità surrogata commerciale:
https://surrogacy360.org/ Work produced primarily by staff at Our Bodies, Ourselves, 2018.
Abortion and SASS/Aborto e SASS (Aborto autogestito; Sicuro e supportato) acronimo per (aborto auto-somministrato) January 12, 2018:
Self-managed abortion - embodying principles - reproductive justice :
Aborto autogestito - principi incarnanti - giustizia riproduttiva
FGM or Female Genital Mutilation/MGF o Mutilazione Genitale Femminile, January 28, 2018:
The village that gave up FGM and gender taboos because of economics.
Il villaggio che ha abbandonato i tabù di genere e di genere a causa dell'eonomia.
She Ran From the Cut, and Helped Thousands of Other Girls Escape, Too.
Lei correva dalla 'tagliato', e aiutato anche migliaia di altre ragazze a fuggire.
Obstetric Violence/Violenza Ostetrica, 2017:
How Italian Women Are Organizing Against Obstetric Violence
Come le donne italiane si organizzano contro la violenza ostetrica
Mental Health/Salute Mentale :
Psychiatry and Mental Health [2014 US Government documents]: Work of Italians Franco & Franca Basaglia]
Psichiatria e salute mentale [Documenti governativi degli Stati Uniti del 2014]: Il lavoro degli italiani Franco e Franca Basaglia]