Reproductive justice is not simply a legal right to abortion; it is more so about a greater freedom to be born, not born, and parent in safe, healthy environments. This framework, articulated first by women of color activists, understands that access to abortion is intimately tied to questions of race, class, gender and colonialism. According to Andrea Smith, in the article Better Dead Than Pregnant, for at least a century, reproductive control has been used to pursue oppression: targeting those marginalized populations to destroy their autonomy, their ability to sustain their culture. These trends still exist, and the discriminatory abortion laws’ effects are disproportionately adverse to women of color, low-income women, and rural dwellers.
The history of abortion rights in the United States refers to the complex relations between law, power, and body autonomy. The Supreme Court ruled in 1973 in Roe v. Wade established a constitutional right for abortion as a matter of privacy and private choice. However, this protection was overturned in 2022 because of the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision, which returned regulation of abortion to individual states. This divide has split the country in two, with some states enshrining the right to abortion in their constitutions while others have come close to outlawing it. For instance, California and Oregon reacted swiftly to make sure that access to abortion is protected. On the other hand, states like Texas and Alabama have imposed near-total bans because of heightened polarization of that issue. These restrictions are not allowing access to core health care while affirming larger mechanisms of power and control to the disadvantage of marginalized communities.
Organizations such as Planned Parenthood are out at the sharp end, helping those who need it, and taking back some control from the bad messages that go along with abortion. On the other hand, SisterSong has taken the intersectional approaches regarding reproductive rights in particular. Ultimately, reproductive justice can only result from reforms of the law and culture. Personal stories that have overcome stigma and created empathy have taken the fight quite impressively. Besides, activation movements like #ShoutYourAbortion help people tell their stories and repossess the story of abortion, re-take it back from the shame, silence and guilt that have been associated with it.
With the voices of the most affected people in the conversation, the movement for reproductive justice can overturn stereotypes and become closer to a world where the right to decide individual reproductive choice without coercion and fear is enshrined in everyone. As we continue this fight further, it is necessary to remember that the battle for abortion rights is not just because (some of us think we) want to prefer aborting fetuses or not, it is a broader battle for dignity, individuality and justice. In contrast, reproductive justice is the vision of a future in which reproductive choice is a right; it is ensured, safeguarded, and cultivated without regard to race, gender, or income and with no intimidation or stigma. This is a war, not just for access, but for equity, compassion and absolute freedom.
Abortion and Reproductive Justice: Reclaiming Autonomy and Dignity
