Private Right

Gov. Mike Dunleavy and many other Alaska politicians have been trying to chip away at the right to access an abortion. Some efforts have lasted decades. Despite this, abortion in Alaska remains legal and there are efforts currently underway that could mean even greater access to reproductive health care.

The right to have an abortion in Alaska is protected under the state constitution’s privacy provision. But that doesn’t mean it’s equitable for all Alaskans to access one. Due to Alaska’s vastness and limited number of providers, traveling to an abortion provider can be a big barrier. Other obstacles include cost and logistics. In 2015, Niviaaluk Brandt, a mom of two, had to overcome all these barriers to get an abortion.

Becky Hinsberger was raised thinking the right to abortion was a good thing, and she started out adulthood this way. But, at some point, her views on abortion changed dramatically. And Becky ended up devoting a lot of her life in Alaska to the anti-abortion rights cause.

From the late 1970s to the late '80s, Dr. carolyn Brown was a gynecologist and obstetrician in Palmer. She delivered thousands of babies, which she was known and praised for. She also performed abortions, which she was known and praised — and vilified — for. She faced — and still faces — a level of uncertainty about her role as an abortion provider.

The episode explores what a constitutional convention has to do with abortion rights in Alaska. Voters have consistently rejected the convention question, but this time could be different.

Private Right from the Alaska Beacon is a show about abortion in Alaska, a conservative state with a strong right to choose. Lisa Phu is the host. In this series, you’ll hear Alaskans talk about abortion, and its impact on the state and their lives.