Barbara Seaman knows a lot about birth-control.
Seaman (OC '56) will give a talk on Tuesday, April 27 entitled "From Abortion to the Pill: The Politics of Controlling Reproductive Rights," at 7 p.m. in Wilder. This talk will be presented by Students United for Reproductive Freedom, an activist and educational organization concerned with women's health issues.
When the first birth control pill came out in the early sixties, Seaman was a health columnist for magazines such as Brides and Ladies' Home Journal. Seaman said she began receiving questions from readers about the dangers of birth control pills. After doing extensive research, she revealed that the Pill caused fatal strokes, heart disease, diabetes and depression, among other diseases. In 1969, Seaman wrote The Doctor's Case Against the Pill, revealing publicly for the first time the dangerous side effects associated with birth control pills.
Seaman's work triggered Senate hearings in 1970 that led to labeling laws for oral contraceptives. A doctor and six others tried to halt the publication of her book, whose cover stated "Love with the pill can cripple and kill." She subsequently lost her job as a columnist for two magazines.
In 1975, Seaman was the co-founder of the National Women's Health network, an advocacy group. She received an "alternative Pulitzer" in 1996 from Project Censored, and is currently a contributing editor to Ms. Magazine.
Seaman will also be hosting a question/answer workshop with Roger Copeland on Tuesday from 4:30 p.m. until 6 p.m. next.
The trial for local resident Wayne Johnson, who was charged with robbing a student last month, has been bound over to the Lorain County Court of Common Pleas. Johnson pleaded not guilty to the second degree felony charge last month in Oberlin Municipal Court.
According to a police report, Johnson was arrested on March 19 after being identified by the victim in the presence of police officers.
According to an initial statement given in the report, the victim reported the robbery to the police the evening of March 18. The victim said that, while walking away from the ATM at Lorain National Bank at 40 East College street shortly after 11 p.m., he was approached by a black male approximately 6'4" tall who told him that his car had broken down and needed some money.
The victim declined and kept walking and claims Johnson grabbed him, threatened him with an object claimed as a gun and further demanded the money. The victim was able to break free of the man, and ran across the street to call the police.
After the victim's positive identification, the police arrested Johnson in connection with the crime shortly after midnight, and found what they believed to be drug paraphernalia along the object of assault. After his arrest, Johnson was jailed in the Oberlin City Jail in lieu of $8,000 cash bond until his arraignment at 9 that morning.
According to detective Tom Anadiotis, Johnson has had seven prior arrests. "He stayed out of trouble for a while," said Anadiotis. "But prior to that, he was well known around here."
Copyright © 1999, The Oberlin Review.
Volume 127, Number 18, April 2, 1999
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