Tracing the life of norma mccorvey, jane roe of roe v. Mccorvey ran away from home at one point and, after returning, was sent to reform school. Norma mccorvey september 22, 1947february 18, 2017 was a young pregnant woman in texas in 1970 without the means or funds to have an abortion. But norma mccorvey, now 65, was never what she seemed. Jan 22, 20 in 1969, a pregnant 21yearold woman, named norma mccorvey, using the infamous pseudonym jane roe, was part of the supreme court case that would have forced the state of texas to allow her.
She became the plaintiff known as jane roe in roe v. Mostly she hid away with her cats and plants and her lover connie gonzales, which was difficult also. According to the vanity fair profile, as mccorvey traveled, her partner was generally by her side. But the real jane roe, norma mccorvey, who has died aged 69, was an unlikely heroine, unwilling to take the spotlight and uncomfortable with it when she finally did. The new york times visited mccorvey before the books publication in the summer of. But since 1973, she has also been jane roe, the plaintiff in the landmark roe v. Feb 18, 2017 norma mccorvey, who was 22, unwed, mired in addiction and poverty, and desperate for a way out of an unwanted pregnancy when she became jane roe, the pseudonymous plaintiff of the 1973 u. Feb 18, 2017 norma mccorvey, the anonymous plaintiff known as jane roe in the supreme courts landmark 1973 roe vs. Feb 18, 2017 norma mccorvey, the anonymous plaintiff in roe v. Wade decision legalizing abortion, died saturday outside houston at age 69. Norma mccorvey, who has died aged 69, was better known as jane roe, the plaintiff in the 1973 supreme court case roe vs wade which, in one of the most contested decisions in us legal history. Norma mccorvey petitioned the supreme court to undo the roe v wade decision, but it. Wade ruling legalizing abortion in the united states, swings in a smithville park on july 15.
Supreme court ruled that individual state laws banning abortion were unconstitutional. Later, mccorvey s views on abortion changed substantially. I was surprised to learn just how little norma was involved in the roe v wade decision. In june 2010, connie gonzalez sat smoking marlboro lights outside the home on cactus lane, in dallas, where she had lived for some 35 years with norma mccorvey. Mccorvey was 22 when she sought a way out of an unwanted pregnancy. Norma mccorvey, who was 22, unwed, mired in addiction and poverty, and desperate for a way out of an unwanted pregnancy when she became jane roe, the pseudonymous plaintiff in the 1973 u.
When journalist andy meisner met norma mccorvey to work on her memoir, she was cashing checks at the 7eleven and living with her partner connie gonzalez in dallas. Plaintiff known as jane roe in the groundbreaking 1973 us legal. Feb 18, 2017 norma mccorvey, the jane roe of roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 supreme court ruling that legalized abortion in the united. The new york times visited mccorvey before the book s publication in the summer of 1994, and mccorvey showed the reporter the steel door theyd had installed after their house was shot at in 1989 as well as her dream keeper, a closet full of prized coats, and a collection of clowns she had purchased for gonzalez. Mccorvey was living quietly in dallas with her partner, connie gonzalez, at the time.
Norma leah nelson mccorvey september 22, 1947 february 18, 2017, better known by the legal pseudonym jane roe, was the plaintiff in the landmark american lawsuit roe v. Norma mccorvey, the texas woman behind the landmark 1973 roe v. Norma mccorvey, who was 22, unwed, mired in addiction and poverty, and desperate for a way out of an unwanted pregnancy when she became jane roe, the pseudonymous plaintiff of the 1973 u. Mccorvey suffered abuse, met and married elwood mccorvey at age 16, and left texas for california. Jan 18, 20 in june 2010, connie gonzalez sat smoking marlboro lights outside the home on cactus lane, in dallas, where she had lived for some 35 years with norma mccorvey.
Mccorvey s former parter connie gonzalez, who was almost 20 years mccorvey s senior, stood by mccorvey s many changes in political and religious beliefs. Jan 22, 2016 after giving birth, mccorvey got involved with a woman named connie gonzalez, and the two lived together as lovers for more than 30 years. Feb 18, 2017 norma mccorvey, the jane roe of the landmark roe vs. The irish times books podcast the little red balloon. After giving birth, mccorvey got involved with a woman named connie gonzalez, and the two lived together as lovers for more than 30 years. Wade, the landmark 1973 supreme court ruling that legalized abortion in the united states, reshaping the nations social and political. Later, mccorveys views on abortion changed substantially. Norma mccorvey, nee norma lea nelson, also known as jane roe, born september 22, 1947, simmesport, louisiana, u. Weddington remains a sore point, and in her book ms.
Norma mccorvey, plaintiff in case legalising abortion. Norma mccorvey, who was 22, unwed, mired in addiction and poverty, and desperate for a way out of an unwanted pregnancy when she became jane roe, the. Mccorvey was prominently featured in 1993 news accounts and prochoice rallies marking the 20. My life, roe v wade, and freedom of choice harper collins, 1994 19 minutes 4,650 words. Mccorvey stepped out of the shadows in the 1980s to counsel women at pregnancy clinics, and in 1987 became a. But it was the most famous pseudonym in american legal history. Feb 19, 2017 mccorvey was living quietly in dallas with her partner, connie gonzalez, at the time. The commoditization of career abortion icon norma mccorvey. Simpson hearings before heading into the kitchen to scramble eggs and fry bacon.
Simpson hearings before heading into the kitchen to. After the family moved to houston, her parents divorced when she was. Finding out norma roe mccorvey died a prolife advocate made me want to read her story and find out what transpired that changed her mind and heart, so i bought the kindle edition of her book. Connie gonzalez, but even that relationship reportedly ended in bitterness after 35 years. In 1969, a pregnant 21yearold woman, named norma mccorvey, using the infamous pseudonym jane roe, was part of the supreme court case that would have forced the state of texas to allow her.
Mccorvey concedes in her first book that, while mary was raising. Wade1973, which made abortion legal throughout the united states. In her first book, the 1994 autobiography, i am roe. The new york times visited mccorvey before the book s publication in the summer of.
Norma mccorvey had little more to her name than a pseudonym. Norma mccorvey, the woman immortalized as plaintiff jane roe in the landmark roe v wade ruling that legalized abortion in the u. Norma mccorvey, who was 22, unwed, mired in addiction and poverty, and desperate for a way out of an unwanted pregnancy when she became jane roe of the 1973 u. In june 2010, connie gonzalez sat smoking marlboro lights outside the home. But signing the affidavit transformed her into jane roe, the. And long after the supreme court, in 1973, granted it and. Norma mccorvey, who has died aged 69, was better known as jane roe, the plaintiff in the 1973 supreme court case roe vs wade which, in one of the most contested decisions in. Mccorvey also said that her religious conversion led her to give up her lover, connie gonzales. Mccorvey s partner for the last 21 years, turns on the television to the o. She said the relationship turned platonic in the early 1990s and that once she became a christian.
What the culture wars did to norma mccorvey the new republic. Dec 28, 2017 norma mccorvey had little more to her name than a pseudonym. The commoditization of career abortion icon norma mccorvey, a. Those hypocrites had already driven an abortion doctor out of dallas and shut down another clinic. Wade, which was decided in 1973 and became one of the most famous supreme court decisions of the 20th century. Norma mccorvey, the anonymous plaintiff known as jane roe in the supreme courts landmark 1973 roe vs. She found a measure of stability with a lesbian partner, connie gonzalez, but even that relationship reportedly ended in bitterness after 35 years.