Four years ago, almost to the day, my wife Tamara and I toured the village museum and small pub that preserves the history of Kortenaken, Belgium. The village is home to Antidoot Wilde Fermenten, a family farm that had recently begun legally producing their own beer, wine, and cider. We were invited to collaborate with them and help pour their creations as well as our own at a festival in Amsterdam.
What began as a fun talk and sips of spirits with some old locals that evening quickly grew somber when they explained why this seemingly normal dining table from many decades before actually hid a variety of shifting parts and secret drawers. Kortenaken is a fairly conservative village, and in the not-so-distant past the church had a very strong grip on local politics. So why a transforming table? Because it was used to perform clandestine abortions. These were dangerous procedures performed in non-medical facilities by locals with limited experience in matters of human health, or by nurses and doctors who risked their careers and their freedom to help these women.
Now, as I read the news and reflect on that previous trip, I can’t help but feel the same way I felt when I saw up close what women have had to do to maintain their bodily autonomy. Where will those who are personally affected by this upheaval go for help, and what responsibilities do the rest of us have to protect them? My heart breaks for those who must bear this burden most.
Our country is reverting to a system of clerical fascism. Fuck the U.S. Supreme Court.
Words + Photoby Tim Decker