Reproductive Justice
Reproductive Justice is the incorporation of social justice into reproductive health. Sistersound defines Reproductive Justice as the ‘right to have or not have children, choice of conditions for birth or termination of pregnancy and the right to parent a child in a healthy environment.’(Mwende, 0:29-0:54). An analysis of the reproductive justice framework highlights the factors that create the system, communities at risk, effects of reproductive justice and the achievement of reproductive justice.
The healthcare system of the US often denies women of colour Reproductive Justice. Since ‘heterosexual white people assume their identity to be the norm’, (Silliman et al. 23), other races are regarded as lesser than. Such notions result in racism, especially in the reproductive health sector, where several non-white women do not have access to proper health care. Silliman notes that ‘twenty-three per cent of African American women, forty-two per cent of Latin American women and twenty-five per cent Asian American women do not have health insurance, as compared to thirteen per cent of white women.’(Sulliman et al. 12). Classism, on the other hand, leads to the denial of reproductive justice because individuals in adverse economic positions cannot access competitive health services. Sexist stereotypes of Women of Colour also inhibit the attainment of reproductive justice. For instance, Latina women are portrayed as either too religious due to Catholicism or too sexualized. Both stereotypes used as a reason for intrusion on their reproduction. Settler colonialism, as a contributor to reproductive injustice, saw the implementation of oppressive laws aimed at controlling reproductive health and sexual behaviours of women of colour. Different forms of discrimination are the root causes of Reproductive injustice.
Specific communities are at risk of denial of Reproductive justice than others due to intersectionality. Intersectionality is discrimination as a result of a combination of factors such as gender, class and race. A combination of these factors leads to more complex forms of oppression, especially in matters of reproductive health where ‘reproductive rights agendas are shaped by class and race’( Silliman et al.,18). These agendas throughout the history of the US have included forced pregnancies upon black women during slavery to increase the number of workers and the reduction of non-white communities through sterilization of women of colour. Since women of colour are minorities in different aspects of their lives like gender, race and class, they are suspectable to reproductive injustice.
There are several consequences attributed to denial of reproductive justice such as, lack of proper sex education and knowledge on and access to birth control among women of colour results in unwanted pregnancies which in turn leads to mental and financial burdens. Most do not have access to safe and affordable abortion. They, therefore, opt to seek services of unsafe abortion providers, leading to complications during the procedures resulting in infertility issues or death. Research also indicates that the ‘stress of living in the US as a black woman contributes to low birth weight babies, infant mortality and maternal mortality'(PBS NewsHour, 1:48-2:04). Constant racism and discrimination leads to stress and weathering of the body, which in turn has adverse effects on the mental and physical health of women of colour, especially during pregnancies
The reproductive justice framework highlights and prioritizes educating the masses on the effects of different forms of discrimination on women’s reproductive life. It explains how oppression based on ‘class race and gender make it difficult for women of colour’(Silliman et al., 24) to experience their reproductive justice compared to their more privileged counterparts. It insists that reproductive injustice will end once individuals from marginalized communities can access reproductive health services and resources.
Reproductive Justice is the assimilation of social justice into reproductive health. It affects women of colour due to intersectionality and has adverse effects on their mental, physical and financial capacity. Reproductive justice is attainable through the change of society’s mindset on discrimination.
Works Cited
Mwende, “FreeQuency” Katwiwa. “Black Life At The Intersection of Birth and Death.” TEDWomen. Lecture. November 2017 https://www.ted.com/talks/mwende_freequency_katwiwa_black_life_at_the_intersection_of_birth_and_death?language=en#t-38060
“ Why Are Black Mothers And Infants Far More Likely to Die in the U.S From Pregnancy-related Causes” YouTube, uploaded by PBS NewsHour, April 18. 2018, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AODAk-accVc
Silliman, Jael Miriam, et al. Undivided Rights: Women of Color Organize for Reproductive Justice. Haymarket Books, 2016.