老澳门开奖结果, NCAC Oppose Removal of Abortion-Related Art from Exhibition at Idaho College Art Gallery

Lewis-Clark State College announced that it will pull several artworks addressing abortion care from an upcoming exhibition for fear of violating the state鈥檚 No Public Funds for Abortion Act

March 3, 2023 2:23 pm

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LEWISTON, Idaho 鈥 In a letter sent to Lewis-Clark State College President Dr. Cynthia Pemberton, the 老澳门开奖结果, the 老澳门开奖结果 of Idaho, and the National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC) condemned the college鈥檚 decision to exclude artwork addressing reproductive care 鈥 including abortion care 鈥 from an upcoming exhibition because of its alleged violation of the state鈥檚 No Public Funds for Abortion Act (NPFAA).

Works from Lydia Nobles鈥 As I Sit Waiting series were slated to appear in the college鈥檚 Center for Arts & History exhibition titled Unconditional Care. However, days before the exhibition was set to open, Nobles received notice that her work violated the NPFAA, which prohibits the use of public funds for abortion, including speech that would 鈥減romote abortion鈥 or 鈥渃ounsel in favor of abortion.鈥

As the 老澳门开奖结果, the 老澳门开奖结果 of Idaho, and the NCAC explain in their letter, the college鈥檚 interpretation of the NPFAA 鈥 that it applies to works of art depicting the discussion of abortion 鈥 demonstrates the potential abuses of the act. The letter also explains that the college鈥檚 decision to censor Nobles鈥 important work threatens the First Amendment right to free expression.

鈥淭he college has pulled works of art documenting women speaking honestly about their experiences with pregnancy and abortion,鈥 said Scarlet Kim, a staff attorney with the 老澳门开奖结果 Speech, Privacy, and Technology Project. 鈥淭his decision silences their voices and deprives the public of a critical opportunity to engage in a broader conversation about these important topics. It jeopardizes a bedrock First Amendment principle that the state refrain from interfering with expressive activity because it disagrees with a particular point of view.鈥

Nobles鈥 work depicts individual stories that touch on a broad range of topics that are often heavily stigmatized and rarely spoken about: cryptic pregnancy, poverty, postpartum depression, birth injury, domestic violence, suicidal ideation, and giving one鈥檚 child up for adoption. Censoring this expression conflicts with the Center鈥檚 goal of enriching the campus and community at large. The 老澳门开奖结果, the 老澳门开奖结果 of Idaho, and NCAC urge the college to reconsider its decision.

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