Powerful, secular men - threatened by women’s burgeoning independence - were eager to declare abortion sinful, a position endorsed by newly-minted male MDs who longed to edge out their feminine competition and turn medicine into a standardized, male-only practice.

Unfortunately for Madame Restell, her rise to the top of her field coincided with “the greatest scam you’ve never heard about”- the campaign to curtail women’s power by restricting their access to both healthcare and careers of their own. She defiantly flaunted her wealth, parading across the city in designer clothes, expensive jewelry, and bejeweled carriages, rubbing her success in the faces of the many politicians, publishers, fellow physicians, and religious figures determined to bring her down. As her practice expanded, her notoriety swelled, and Restell established herself as a prime target for tabloids, threats, and lawsuits galore. Her bustling “boarding house” provided birth control, abortions, and medical assistance to thousands of women - rich and poor alike. Madame Restell, an industrious immigrant who built her business from the ground up, was a self-taught surgeon on the cutting edge of healthcare in pre-Gilded Age New York. To claim the offer, purchase a ticket to either event and let the Box Office staff know you’re staying for both events during check-in. It’s a Double-Header Night! Join us for this event at 6:00pm and get FREE admission to the 7:30pm event with Kate Clancy and Angela Garbes, who will demystify periods and debunk common myths.

Get well soon by jennifer wright