Amy Brenneman, Judging Amy

Moderator: Welcome Amy. Thanks so much for joining us on this special day-- the 30th anniversary of Roe v. Wade.

Amy Brenneman: It's a pleasure and honor to be a part of this conversation.

Miranda: Hi Amy! I love your show. What motivated you to create it?

Amy Brenneman: Hi Miranda. I was looking to do a project where I could function in a bigger role than simply an actress-for-hire. This idea was actually my mother's who herself has been a juvenile court judge in Connecticut since the late 60's.

Karen: Why are you pro-choice? Why is it important to protect a woman's right to choose?

Amy Brenneman: I am passionately pro-choice because I believe in a woman's right to use her body in a way she believes in. I wouldn't say that I am pro-abortion because I believe that every pregnancy deserves careful thought and consideration and all options should be open to conscientious women.

Laurie, Athens OH: Hi Amy, I work on a college campus, and although some women are very passionate about protecting their reproductive freedoms, a large number of them seem to be disconnected from the issue. Do you have any suggestions on how I can help them realize that this is their fight, too?? Thanks.

Amy Brenneman: This is a great question. I think what we are seeing is a generation of women (mine included) who do not remember when abortion was illegal so they cannot imagine that it would ever become illegal again. The frightening thing about the current administration is that they seem to be interested in reversing many laws which we have come to accept. My father was part of instituting the Clean Air Act in the 1970's and with one stroke of his pen, President Bush has pushed this aside. Unfortunately, I think the only way the disconnected women on your campus will accept this as their fight is when they are about to lose this right. But some history on this subject might help too.

Iona: Amy, Do you identify as a feminist? I've had a hard time fighting against the stereotypes and wonder if it's worth it. What do you think?

Amy Brenneman: I absolutely identify as a feminist. I don't know what the big deal is about this word. I think in ways, people got scared of the word liberal. Now, people are scared of the word feminist. I think feminists agree that gender is not a defining characteristic of people and women are as bright and capable and as vital to our society as men. I am happy to report that my father and my husband are also feminists so people can't put me in the "I hate men" category because I love them dearly.

Barbara: Hi Amy, Thanks for doing this chat and standing up for choice. How did you get involved in reproductive rights?

Amy Brenneman: My mother is pro-choice and it's just always been in my blood. I also have enjoyed reproductive rights. In college, we all knew where to go to get birth control and pap smears and options to be responsible reproductively. And even though I was only 20 years old, I remember understanding that these options and opportunities I had came because women had fought very hard for me, so I guess now, I'm just repaying the favor.

Jenny, Bronx NY: Were you ever involved in feminism or activism in college?

Amy Brenneman: Not really. I was deeply involved with theater and the way my theater group went about producing ended up being very political. For instance, men would play women's roles sometimes and women would play men's roles. We would adapt classic plays to our concerns and what was going on around us. But I never went onstage and put myself out there politically. The art was always my way of expressing myself politically.

Betty Boop: Dear Amy, I always wonder if women still experience a glass ceiling in the film profession, you know, if it's hard to get promotions and what not. Was it easy for you to be the exec producer of your show? Did you face any discrimination on the way up?

Amy Brenneman: I'm sorry to say the glass ceiling still exists--not only for women but for people of color and anyone who doesn't fit into the classic "old boy" network. I am the executive producer on my show because I created my show so they really couldn't say no. That said, because the show is a success, I'm able to talk to whomever I need to at the show or on the network, and I am accepted in those back rooms in a way I wasn't before. So while there is still a glass ceiling, this is also a bottom-line business and people want to be associated with success. The good news is, if your product is successful, you have a good chance of breaking that glass ceiling.

Dancing_Bear: I love your show! Do any of the other actors on Judging Amy judge you for being pro-choice? Are they supportive? Do you get into arguments?

Amy Brenneman: I think all of the actors on Judging Amy are pro-choice actually. With people like Tyne and me at the helm, we sort of attract people that are like-minded politically. I think that all of us are thoughtful of the issue however and wouldn't promote using abortion in lieu of birth control and without a great deal of thought. But we are united in believing that a woman's body is her property and she is in charge of making decisions about what goes on there.

Leah: Being a busy college student I feel disconected from what's going on in terms of decisions made by the government everyday. However, pro-choice is something I do feel strongly about, although I haven't been following the news lately. How likely do you think it is that Roe v. Wade could be overturned?

Amy Brenneman: Unfortunately, I think it is well within the realm of possibilities. Because this decision hinges on the Supreme Court, because at present the margin is 5-4, because it is likely that one of the justices will retire during Bush's tenure, and because we know President Bush is anti-abortion, this could happen before we know it. My hope is that as this moment approaches, pro-choice men and women will realize that their reproductive rights are about to disappear and will become active again. My belief is that now is that moment and that there's not a lot of time.

Frank: Hey Amy, Do you have a boyfriend? Seriously, I am so glad to see you and Tyne speak up on this issue. So many female actors and celebrities have the power to command publicity to abortion and reproductive health that the mainstream media ignores. Keep on rockin in free world!

Amy Brenneman: Hey Frank. I have a husband actually. I've been married for 7.5 years to film director Brad Silberling. He has directed Casper and City of Angels and most recently Moonlight Mile, and I met him on the set of NYPD Blue. Thanks for your encouragement about my standing up and if I can bring some more attention to this issue, it will all be worth it.

St. James Junior: Hi Amy, I love the Feminist Majority Foundation and was wondering how you got involved with their campaign. Thanks for everything!

Amy Brenneman: I recently have become involved with the Feminist Majority in part because Tyne turned me on to it. Also a former writer on our show, Nicole Yorkin--her mother Peg Yorkin is a pillar of the Foundation. I also met some FMF folks through the celebrity Hollywood Squares last spring which was to promote awareness of the women in Afghanistan. Camryn Manheim spearheaded that one and some others including Kathy Bates participated.

Debbie from Cali: Hi Amy, I'm a big fan and hope you read this question! Does your family support your political ideology? Thank you very much.

Amy Brenneman: Yes, they do and probably helped shape it. My mother, through her work as a juvenile court judge, sees many cases involving the abuse and neglect of children. It is her belief that a child will only thrive if it is wanted and loved. It is also her belief that you cannot have a social platform that involves "saving" children from abortion only to have them born into a society where there is no assistance and no functional welfare state. So she instilled in me very early on that the magical ingredient for a child thriving is love and support and without that, they are sure to fail.

F_Brown: Hi everyone, I have to say that I love your work and that I think you are sooo beautiful! This is just a thank you for your work and for bringing light to this issue for your fans and audience!

Amy Brenneman: Thank you so much. I love to have direct contact with people who care about the things that I care about so it is a pleasure for me to do this.

Moderator: Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts and time with us today. We look forward to working with you in the future.