A Brief History of Reproductive Justice

Summary

This presentation from UC San Diego Health's Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Science highlights the history and significance of reproductive justice. The movement, initiated by Black women, addresses the limitations of mainstream reproductive rights by focusing on intersectional oppression. It stresses that reproductive justice is about access, not just choice, and encompasses issues like healthcare, contraception, and safe living conditions. The history of reproductive oppression, particularly against Black women, is also explored. The presentation urges viewers to explore more about the ongoing efforts to ensure equitable and just care for marginalized communities.

Takeaways

• 😀 The Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Science at UC San Diego Health prioritizes equitable and just care for all patients.
• 😀 The department regularly educates all team members—including physicians, nurses, and trainees—on best practices for equitable care.
• 😀 Medical students at UCSD learn about reproductive justice, a movement addressing the intersectional needs of marginalized communities, particularly black women.
• 😀 Reproductive justice emerged from a movement led by black women, recognizing that the mainstream reproductive rights movement did not address the specific needs of marginalized communities.
• 😀 In 1994, black women coined the term 'reproductive justice' to address the limitations of the pro-choice movement and its failure to consider systemic oppression.
• 😀 SisterSong, founded in 1997 by 16 organizations led by women of color, remains the only national coalition advocating for reproductive rights for marginalized communities.
• 😀 Reproductive justice is defined as the human right to bodily autonomy, including the right to have children, not have children, and parent children in safe, sustainable communities.
• 😀 Reproductive justice is not only about abortion access but also includes access to contraception, pre and postnatal care, STI screening, safe housing, and livable wages.
• 😀 The history of reproductive oppression in the US includes the exploitation of black women's bodies, from systemic rape during slavery to coerced sterilizations in the 20th century.
• 😀 The legacy of reproductive injustice continues today, with practices like family caps in welfare programs and coercive sterilizations of incarcerated individuals and those detained by ICE.

Q & A

What is the main mission of the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Science at UC San Diego Health?

The department is committed to providing equitable and just care for every patient, focusing on educating all team members—including physicians, nurses, and students—about best practices for equitable care.

How does UC San Diego Health integrate reproductive justice into its education for medical students?

UC San Diego Health teaches its third-year medical students about the reproductive justice movement during their obstetrics and gynecology rotation. They also engage in exercises designed to apply these principles in real-life patient encounters.

Who were the leaders of the reproductive justice movement, and what did they aim to address?

The reproductive justice movement was led by Black women who identified that the mainstream fight for reproductive rights, which primarily focused on abortion, failed to address the intersectional needs of Black women and other marginalized communities.

What key event in 1994 helped define the reproductive justice movement?

In 1994, a group of Black women in Chicago drafted a statement in response to the Clinton administration's proposed Universal Healthcare Plan, coining the term 'reproductive justice.' They published this statement in The Washington Post with more than 800 signatures.

What role does SisterSong play in the reproductive justice movement?

SisterSong, formed in 1997 by 16 organizations led by women of color, advocates for the reproductive needs of marginalized communities. It is the only national coalition in the U.S. focused on ensuring reproductive rights for these communities.

How does SisterSong define reproductive justice?

SisterSong defines reproductive justice as the human right to maintain personal bodily autonomy, have children, not have children, and parent the children in safe and sustainable communities.

What is the key difference between reproductive justice and reproductive rights?

Reproductive justice is about access, not just choice. While access to abortion is critical, reproductive justice also addresses barriers to other reproductive health services, such as contraception, prenatal and postnatal care, and STI screening.

What historical context is important to understand reproductive justice?

Reproductive justice must be understood within the history of reproductive oppression in the U.S., including the exploitation of Black women's bodies during slavery, eugenic ideologies that justified sterilizations, and ongoing systemic barriers to reproductive health care.

What was the significance of the 1927 Buck v. Bell case in the U.S.?

The 1927 Buck v. Bell case established legal authority for the involuntary sterilization of individuals, particularly impacting Black women and marginalized groups. This decision played a key role in the systemic exploitation and control of reproductive rights in the U.S.

What are some current forms of reproductive oppression mentioned in the script?

Current forms of reproductive oppression include family caps on welfare programs in some states, coercive sterilizations in public institutions and ICE detention centers, and continued barriers to access reproductive health care for marginalized communities.