Documentaries Chronicling the Impact of Abortion Laws and Healthcare Providers
The HBO documentary ‘The Devil Is Busy’ chronicles daily lives of Atlanta abortion healthcare providers. The trials and tribulations experienced by an Atlanta Black-led abortion clinic take center stage in the newly released documentary. Described by the network as a “unique snapshot of reproductive healthcare” following the overturning of Roe v. Wade, the documentary was released on Sept. 23 by directors Christalyn Hampton and Geeta Gandbhir, and executive producer Soledad O’ Brien.
In the film, Feminist Center for Reproductive Liberation head of security Tracii undergoes opening protocol for the center on July 18, 2023. This narrative is presented alongside other historical perspectives, as FRONTLINE’s latest documentary, "The Abortion Divide," paints a portrait of the complicated, personal issues surrounding abortion.
The Evolution of Reproductive Healthcare Access
FRONTLINE goes inside the fight over abortion, told through the stories of women struggling with unplanned pregnancies. Drawing on a landmark FRONTLINE film from the 1980s, the documentary takes a look at both sides of the abortion divide in a community still embroiled in the conflict. What’s changed inside and outside abortion clinics over 30 years is explored through the lens of history, referencing when producers spent weeks in Chester, Pennsylvania, making a film about abortion for FRONTLINE’s first season.
Comparison of Focused Documentaries
| Documentary Title | Platform / Source | Primary Focus |
|---|---|---|
| The Devil Is Busy | HBO | Daily lives of Atlanta abortion healthcare providers |
| The Abortion Divide | PBS FRONTLINE | Both sides of the abortion divide in a community |
| The Abortion Clinic (1983) | PBS FRONTLINE | The story of the anguish of four women and the experience of abortion |
Legal Transformations and Medical Access
The Supreme Court has overturned Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 ruling that legalized abortion in the U.S. Overriding nearly five decades of legal precedent, these documentaries offer context on how America reached this moment. For example, doctors and patients say Georgia’s abortion law is hindering reproductive health, and after an abortion ban attempt in Alabama, a flood of confusion and phone calls followed for clinics.
Furthermore, medical abortions have changed abortion access — and they’re available on the Internet. The development of medication abortion has vastly changed the landscape, even as the battle over the abortion pill mifepristone and the financial impact of abortion access continues to escalate. Legislation across the U.S. indicates that states are bracing for the potential of a post-Roe world while experts believe that the use of a law traditionally used against physical threats could change the landscape for protection of abortion clinics.