SISTERHOOD VS CONGREGATION A study of two opposing social movements in the Norwegian abortion struggle 1970-1981 Jonas Bertelsen Enge Master Thesis in Contemporary History University of Oslo May 10 2018 I SISTERHOOD VS CONGREGATION A study of two social movements in the Norwegian abortion struggle 1970-1981 II Copyright Jonas Bertelsen Enge 2018 Sisterhood vs Congregation Jonas Bertelsen Enge http://www.duo.uio.no Print: Webergs Printshop III SUMMARY This master thesis is an analysis of the Norwegian abortion struggle from the activists’ perspective. The collective mobilizations, arguments and strategies are examined through theories of social movements. It sets out as an examination on how historians have narrated this national event and attempts to bring a divided history back together. The women’s movement was able to push the demand for self-determined abortion into the national agenda and, through mobilizations in alliance with the socialist parties and medical activists, achieved self-determined abortion in 1978. On the other side, a Popular Action against Self- determined Abortion and opponents within the Church and the medical profession, in defence of the unborn child, were central in resisting a new abortion law in 1974 and influencing abortion laws in 1975 and 1978. This thesis attempts to critically bring the origins and actions of the two movements together and see how the activists organized themselves, how they networked and their repertoires of protests. The story highlights interrelations and dynamics between the two movements in the period from 1974-1979 before ending with the transformation of abortion opposition in the early 1980s IV ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS It has been a pleasure and a privilege to write this historical thesis. I am deeply grateful for having had a collective movement of helpers, ready to mobilize. First and foremost, I am thankful for having had two inspiring supervisors. Knut Kjeldstadli offered solutions to many theoretical and practical problems, gave helpful comments on the drafts and his extensive knowledges, sense of humour and political insights made all conversations and seminars a pleasure. I was truly lucky to get Eirinn Larsen as assistant supervisor. She pushed me to critically research the historiography and the historical narratives of my chosen topic. Her sharp eye and inspiring comments in seminars have surely expanded the ambitions of this project. I also want to thank historian Veronique Pouillard for critical comments on the project description and for opening my eyes to see that everything is history, during her course on consumer societies some years ago. Thanks to all fellow students on the history program at UiO for providing a friendly and creative learning atmosphere, especially all members of the study group “The Hermeneutic Circle”. In the early phase, I was lucky to discuss the project with historian and activist Trine Rogg Korsvik. These encouraging conversations gave the project a clear direction. I also want to mention historian Hanne Hagtvedt Vik for believing in the project and for arguing convincingly in favour of writing in English. I am also grateful for informative conversations with Ellen Aansen who willingly shared her extensive knowledges on the abortion struggle. I want to thank Kjersti Åberg at Arbark, Trine Berg Kopperud at the Storting archive, Hildegunn Bomnes at Amathea and Morten Dahle Stærk at Menneskeverd for facilitating archive searches and solving mysteries. A special thanks to Birgit Bjerck, Inge Ås, Ragnhild Halvorsen and Astor Reigstad for providing me with materials from their private archives. They and the other activists from the abortion struggle deserve special thanks for willingly sharing their memories and thoughts with me. A big thanks to my friends Susann Halvari Johansen and Line Schou for respectively helping out with the design of the timelines and proofreading. Finally, I want to give a warm hug to my dear Cathrine for patiently enduring these two years of intense whining and mansplaining. V ABBREVIATIONS AAN – Alternative to abortion /Alternativ til abort AFSAN - Action for Self-determined Abortion Now! / Aksjon for Selvbestemt abort nå AKP-ml – Workers’ Communist Party / Arbeidernes Kommunistparti-marxist-leninistene B&R – Brød og Roser FAMSA – Popular Action against self-determined abortion / Folkeaksjonen mot selvbestemt abort /Folkeaksjonen mot fri abort FF – Folkets Framtid FLM – Popular Action for Human Dignity and Right to Life – Folkebevegelsen for livsrett menneskeverd KA – Womens’ Action for Self-determined Abortion / Kvinneaksjonen for selvbestemt abort KF – Women’s Front KrF – Christian-Democratic Party / Kristelig Folkeparti NF – New Feminists NK – Association of Norwegian Women / Norsk Kvinneforbund NKF - Norwegian Association for Women's Rights / Kvinnesaksforeningen NPV – Norwegian Pro Life / Norsk Pro Vita SLF – Union of Socialist Physicians / Sosialistiske Legers Forening SV – Socialist Election Union / Sosialistisk Valgforbund VL – Vårt Land VI CONTENTS 1 Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 1 Point of Departure .............................................................................................................................. 1 Historiography .................................................................................................................................... 2 Why another take on the abortion struggle? ..................................................................................... 16 Theoretical concepts and methods .................................................................................................... 17 Research questions ........................................................................................................................... 20 Limitations ........................................................................................................................................ 20 Sources ............................................................................................................................................. 21 Interviews ......................................................................................................................................... 23 Language .......................................................................................................................................... 24 Outline of the argument .................................................................................................................... 24 2 From few to many: 1969-1971 ........................................................................................... 26 Jugded by the law, then by doctors ................................................................................................... 26 Grete Irvoll gives the abortion issue a push forward ........................................................................ 28 Women’s Lib in Norway .................................................................................................................. 29 The New Feminists ........................................................................................................................... 31 Kvinnefronten - The Women’s Front ............................................................................................... 33 Norwegian Association for Women’s Rights ................................................................................... 34 Common ground: the abortion issue ................................................................................................. 36 Alliances with medical personnel ..................................................................................................... 40 Alliances within Norwegian media .................................................................................................. 45 What was it about? Framing of abortion within the women’s movement and their allies ............... 47 Reactions: Opposing voices from 1971-73 ....................................................................................... 51 Conclusion: ....................................................................................................................................... 55 3 The Great Norwegian Abortion Struggle 1973-1974 ...................................................... 57 Waiting for Ludvigsen ...................................................................................................................... 57 Historical background of the antiabortion movement ...................................................................... 59 Popular Action against Self-Determination ...................................................................................... 64 This must be stopped: Framing of the antiabortion-movement ........................................................ 68 The Great Norwegian Abortion Struggle of 1974. ........................................................................... 72 Cultural abortion struggle ................................................................................................................. 81 Conclusion: ....................................................................................................................................... 81 VII 4 Looking for heroes in the parliamentary system 1974-1975 ......................................... 84 Disappointment for the women’s movement despite