'The Janes' recounts the story of brave young women who helped others obtain abortions in a pre-Roe v. Wade world

Facing sentences of 110 years each, the women found a lawyer, Jo-Anne Wolfson, who knew the Supreme Court was mulling Roe. Her strategy then was to stall. And it paid off. After that opinion came down the following year, the charges against the Janes were dropped. The group disbanded.

As noted in the documentary, the women went on to be healthcare workers, civil servants, educators, artists and community organizers. So a lot of them are still working for the cause, albeit in a different way.

Today, it’s again the younger generation that has taken up the fight for abortion rights.

And that makes Lessin hopeful.

“You know, they are not gonna let us down. While they may have taken abortion rights for granted up until now… the battle is on, and they seem to be up for it,” she says. “The Janes are passing the baton to the younger generation, and I think the younger generation is taking that on. You know, I see that. I see my nieces and my goddaughters and the young people in my life who are ready to sacrifice a lot to make sure that these rights are protected.”

The Janes premieres Wednesday, June 8 at 9 p.m. on HBO.

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