Frances Kissling
Encyclopedia
Frances Kissling is scholar and activist in the fields of religion, reproduction and women's rights. She was President of Catholics for a Free Choice
(founded 1973) from 1982 until 2007 when she turned over the reins to Jon O’Brien. She is now a Visiting Scholar at the Center for Bioethics at the University of Pennsylvania
. She regularly contributes pieces to The Nation
and The Huffington Post
.
working-class family in New York
in 1943, the oldest of four children. Her mother divorced and later married a man named Kissling. Inspired by the nuns at her Catholic school, she joined a convent
in the early 1960s at age 19, but after just six months she left and enrolled in the New School.
was made legal in New York, she was asked to direct an abortion clinic
in Pelham
, which she accepted.
In 1977 she was appointed founding President of the National Abortion Federation
, a position she held until 1980. In 1978 she joined the board of Catholics for a Free Choice
, and in 1982 she took over as president - a position she held for 25 years until her retirement in 2007.
She supports public funding for reproductive health and abortion, and is the co-author of Rosie: The Investigation of a Wrongful Death.
Kissling was a 2007-2008 Fellow of the Radcliffe Institute Fellowship Program, part of the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study at Harvard University. Her project while in residence was a book, How to Think about Abortion: Pro-choice Reflections on Rights and Responsibility. She is currently a Visiting Scholar at the University of Pennsylvania
Center for Bioethics.
Catholics for a Free Choice
Catholics for Choice , formerly Catholics for a Free Choice , is a Catholic pro-choice organization based in Washington, D.C. that was founded "to serve as a voice for Catholics who believe that the Catholic tradition supports a woman's moral and legal right to follow her conscience in matters of...
(founded 1973) from 1982 until 2007 when she turned over the reins to Jon O’Brien. She is now a Visiting Scholar at the Center for Bioethics at the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
. She regularly contributes pieces to The Nation
The Nation
The Nation is the oldest continuously published weekly magazine in the United States. The periodical, devoted to politics and culture, is self-described as "the flagship of the left." Founded on July 6, 1865, It is published by The Nation Company, L.P., at 33 Irving Place, New York City.The Nation...
and The Huffington Post
The Huffington Post
The Huffington Post is an American news website and content-aggregating blog founded by Arianna Huffington, Kenneth Lerer, and Jonah Peretti, featuring liberal minded columnists and various news sources. The site offers coverage of politics, theology, media, business, entertainment, living, style,...
.
Early life
Kissling was born Frances Romanski into a PolishPoles
thumb|right|180px|The state flag of [[Poland]] as used by Polish government and diplomatic authoritiesThe Polish people, or Poles , are a nation indigenous to Poland. They are united by the Polish language, which belongs to the historical Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages of Central Europe...
working-class family in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
in 1943, the oldest of four children. Her mother divorced and later married a man named Kissling. Inspired by the nuns at her Catholic school, she joined a convent
Convent
A convent is either a community of priests, religious brothers, religious sisters, or nuns, or the building used by the community, particularly in the Roman Catholic Church and in the Anglican Communion...
in the early 1960s at age 19, but after just six months she left and enrolled in the New School.
Pro-choice activism
Kissling became active in the women's movement in the 1960s. In 1970, after abortionAbortion
Abortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...
was made legal in New York, she was asked to direct an abortion clinic
Abortion clinic
An abortion clinic is a medical facility that primarily performs or specializes in abortions. Such clinics may be public medical centers or private medical practices.-Canada:*There were 197 abortion providers in Canada in 2001....
in Pelham
Pelham (town), New York
Pelham is a town in Westchester County, New York, United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 12,396. Historically, Pelham was composed of five villages and became known as "the Pelhams"...
, which she accepted.
In 1977 she was appointed founding President of the National Abortion Federation
National Abortion Federation
The National Abortion Federation is an organization of abortion providers. Though originally a U.S. group, NAF has expanded to include practitioners in Canada and Australia as well as many European countries and Mexico...
, a position she held until 1980. In 1978 she joined the board of Catholics for a Free Choice
Catholics for a Free Choice
Catholics for Choice , formerly Catholics for a Free Choice , is a Catholic pro-choice organization based in Washington, D.C. that was founded "to serve as a voice for Catholics who believe that the Catholic tradition supports a woman's moral and legal right to follow her conscience in matters of...
, and in 1982 she took over as president - a position she held for 25 years until her retirement in 2007.
She supports public funding for reproductive health and abortion, and is the co-author of Rosie: The Investigation of a Wrongful Death.
Kissling was a 2007-2008 Fellow of the Radcliffe Institute Fellowship Program, part of the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study at Harvard University. Her project while in residence was a book, How to Think about Abortion: Pro-choice Reflections on Rights and Responsibility. She is currently a Visiting Scholar at the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
Center for Bioethics.
External links
- United States National Library of Medicine: Guide to Oral Histories in Medicine and the Health Sciences
- On seeking a kidney donor - Salon.comSalon.comSalon.com, part of Salon Media Group , often just called Salon, is an online liberal magazine, with content updated each weekday. Salon was founded by David Talbot and launched on November 20, 1995. It was the internet's first online-only commercial publication. The magazine focuses on U.S...
- Can we ever say a woman can't choose?http://www.salon.com/opinion/feature/2009/06/21/choice/