“Nobody Puts Baby in a Corner”: Reproductive Justice in Dirty Dancing (1987)

Dirty Dancing is an iconic 1987 film that is the top “chick flick” for most Baby Boomers and their progeny. When you think about this film, abortion may not come to mind at first, but “Baby” sure does. By the end, “Nobody puts Baby in a corner!” falls off our lips as easily as the last line from Casablanca (1942): “Louis, this looks like the beginning of a beautiful friendship.” When the final cut of Dirty Dancing was screened, 39% of those viewing it got so caught up in the film’s music and energy, they didn’t realize that abortion was, in fact, the main plot (Dawn 2017). If you’re tackling the topic of reproductive justice and abortion access, this film is a wonderful entry point for a necessary discussion about pre-Roe America, post-Roe America, and the potential repeal of Roe v. Wade (1973) in the twenty-first century.