Planned Parenthood | Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota Action Fund

 
by Emily

Web Correspondent
Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota Action Fund

Jane Bovard has been a champion in North Dakota's  pro-choice movement. In 1974 she started the first abortion counseling and referral hotline in the state and even listed her home number in the phone book! In 1975, she founded the first state chapter of the National Abortion Rights Action League (NARAL), and in 1981 she opened the first abortion clinic in the state, Fargo Women's Health Organization. Her legacy would continue with the opening of the Red River Women's Clinic in 1998.
 
Progress didn't come easily, people tried to shame her, scare her and slow her down. Her clinic was firebombed, protesters picketed her business and her home, sometimes ringing her doorbell in the middle of the night and placing nails in her driveway. Bovard sacrificed a lot for reproductive freedom and on August 19th, the community and state got a chance to say, "Thank you."
 
An honorary celebration for Bovard was held at North Dakota State University's Alumni Center. Pro-choice allies (some coming from as far as Duluth and Minneapolis) mingled together and enjoyed wonderful food and music. Many people said that Bovard had to be "talked into" the event, not wanting a fuss. She relented when she realized the event would be a fundraiser for the North Dakota Women in Need (WIN) Fund – a program that helps women afford abortion procedures at Red River Women's Clinic.
 
The first speaker was former Fargo Mayor, Jon Lindgren. A supporter of reproductive freedom in local and state politics, Lindgren made sure city government treated Bovard fairly when she tried to obtain a building permit for the clinic.
 
"I am happy to honor Jane," Lindgren said. "The clinic sends a serious message to the people of our state. Women in North Dakota won't be thrown onto the bonfire."
 
Longtime friend and colleague, Lysa Ringquist spoke of Bovard as a "Shero," and phenomenal woman, pointing out that "being public in this fight is courageous." She also entertained the audience with tales of Bovard's courage under fire. When Bovard found a protester on the hood of her car refusing to move, she put the car in drive and then reverse until the man slid off.
 
"And she never looked back," Ringquist said to cheers from the audience.
 
Other employees commended Bovard for creating a positive and safe work environment. When the clinic was firebombed, Bovard brought in officers from ATF (Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms) to train employees on how to handle threats.
 
The evening's keynote speaker, Sylvia Morgan, a retired women's studies and humanities professor from Minnesota State University (Moorhead), reminded the audience of the very serious hurdles Bovard and clinic workers encountered in their early days.

 
 "I consider her a very dear friend," Morgan said of Bovard. "It takes my breath away what she has had to endure."
 
At the end of the evening, the audience heard from Bovard, who spoke about getting involved and starting the clinic.

 

 
Bovard thanked people for contributing money to the WIN fund – (the evening raised $3500, which according to current clinic director, Tammi Kromenaker is the budget for one year.) But special thanks were reserved for her husband, Richard and family for standing behind her through all the trials.
 
When asked how she accomplished all she did in the face of such cruel resistance, Bovard joked about having "oppositional defiance disorder."
 
"The more they did things like that, the more it made me convinced that they wouldn't win. I was gonna hang in there."
 
Spoken like a true champion.
 

 

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