{"id":18337,"date":"2020-10-19T13:28:59","date_gmt":"2020-10-19T11:28:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.intimina.com\/blog\/?p=18337"},"modified":"2020-10-19T13:28:59","modified_gmt":"2020-10-19T11:28:59","slug":"reproductive-justice","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.intimina.com\/blog\/reproductive-justice\/","title":{"rendered":"The Complex World of Reproductive Justice"},"content":{"rendered":"

The term \u201creproductive justice\u201d has become a buzzword amongst those in the reproductive health fields – and for a good reason. <\/span><\/p>\n

Throughout history, women and people with uterus\u2019 bodies have been controlled and politized. This still rings true in today\u2019s society, where reproductive health is attributed as a political issue – not a basic human right.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What is reproductive justice?<\/span><\/h2>\n

While the phrase was coined in 1994, there are different definitions depending on what communities you ask.<\/span><\/p>\n

The U.C. Berkeley, California School of Law<\/span><\/a> describes reproductive justice as \u201c<\/span>The complete physical, mental, spiritual, political, social, and economic well-being of women and girls, based on the full achievement and protection of women’s human rights.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

While this is a good starting point, there\u2019s so much more to it. Starting with understanding the necessity of inclusivity.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Integrating Inclusivity\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

While focusing on the achievement and protection of women and girls is absolutely necessary and crucial, it\u2019s missing a big piece of the puzzle. Part of understanding the broad scope of reproductive justice is understanding that this doesn\u2019t just apply to your binary understanding of \u201c<\/span>cis woman<\/span><\/a>\u201d and \u201ccis girl\u201d.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The new era of reproductive justice is gender inclusive. Meaning it recognizes that people who don\u2019t necessarily identify as women still need the same access to reproductive healthcare and education.<\/span><\/p>\n

Trans-men<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>gender non-conforming<\/span><\/a>, genderqueer, and non-binary people can all get pregnant, have periods, have babies, abortions, and any other experience that comes from having a uterus and vagina.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

An important piece of the puzzle for reproductive justice advocates is to push for expansion of services for non-cis-women, and with that greater education for providers so that they know how to interact with the wide range of populations they may encounter.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Inclusion is not just about gender, it\u2019s recognizing the very narrow framework of who is often able to access reproductive health services, and pushing to expand that lens. <\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s imperative that providers and advocates understand the effects of <\/span>systemic racism<\/span><\/a> of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), within the healthcare system.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Reproductive justice advocates are constantly pushing providers to check their own biases and dismantle how the effects of systemic racism play out on an individual basis. Given the unacceptable <\/span>racial and ethnic disparities<\/span><\/a> of the U.S. maternal mortality rate, this work can literally save lives.<\/span><\/p>\n

Along with racial disparities, many providers and advocates neglect the need for reproductive education and access for people with disabilities, or who are <\/span>neurodivergent<\/span><\/a>. This means expanding <\/span>sexual education<\/a><\/span>\u00a0and honoring the many variations of being human, and the desires that come with it.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

We can\u2019t talk about inclusion without discussing <\/span>intersectionality<\/span><\/a>. Intersectionality is the idea that humans are multifaceted and that our overlapping identities dictate how we navigate through the world. <\/span><\/p>\n

Intersectionality understands that navigating reproductive health care as a queer, non-binary person of color, looks different than it does for a straight, white, cis-gendered woman, or any other variation of being human.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Let\u2019s Thrive<\/b><\/p>\n

While saving lives is imperative, it\u2019s also important to emphasize and celebrate practices that help people thrive and feel supported in their reproductive health.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Modern medicine has made so many incredible advances in the field of reproductive health. But at the same time, it has consistently perpetuated harm for people seeking reproductive healthcare.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Given the incredibly violent and racist background of modern obstetrics and gynecology (Trigger Warning: you can <\/span>click this link for more details<\/span><\/a>), it\u2019s easy to see how a field that stems from the oppression and violation of Black women can continue to perpetuate this standard throughout modern medicine.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Reproductive justice emphasizes the need for expanding access to, respecting, and celebrating traditional and Indigenous women\u2019s health practices including <\/span>midwifery<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>herbal medicine<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>vaginal steaming<\/span><\/a>, and so much more.<\/span><\/p>\n

The future of reproductive health care looks like a balance between modern medicine and traditional practices, with education and expanded access to all.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What Does Reproductive Justice Cover?<\/b><\/p>\n

One of the difficulties of understanding reproductive justice is that it includes so many different topics and parts of the human experience.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Reproductive justice means expanding birth options and giving more rights, support, and education to birthing people during pregnancy, pregnancy loss, and postpartum. It means giving young people the tools to navigate period health and menstruation. It is making sex education accessible to all, and <\/span>destigmatizing STIs<\/span><\/a>, while prioritizing <\/span>consent<\/span><\/a> culture, pleasure and wellness. <\/span>
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

Reproductive justice is increasing abortion access, and knocking down organizations that try to limit reproductive healthcare rights. It\u2019s understanding the broad range of reproductive health disorders that can impact a person\u2019s well-being and overall health. <\/span><\/p>\n

It is preventing and healing from sexual violence, and understanding the ways <\/span>sexual abuse<\/span><\/a> can impact someone\u2019s health and wellness. It is increasing the amount of culturally sensitive and trauma-informed providers who will be able to support their clients and patients, instead of creating more trauma.<\/span><\/p>\n

…And so much more.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

If reading this has stirred something in you to develop a deeper understanding of the world of reproductive justice – awesome. <\/b><\/p>\n

Because this article is just a teeny tiny introduction into a topic that you could spend lifetimes dissecting. Reproductive justice is always changing and adapting depending on politics, societal norms, scientific understanding, and the current zeitgeist. <\/b><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The term \u201creproductive justice\u201d has become a buzzword amongst those in the reproductive health fields – and for a good reason. Throughout history, women and people with uterus\u2019 bodies have…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":18338,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nReproductive Justice - Understanding The Necessity of Inclusivity<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The term \u201creproductive justice\u201d has become a buzzword amongst those in the reproductive health fields - and for a good reason.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.intimina.com\/blog\/reproductive-justice\/\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Natasha Weiss\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.intimina.com\/blog\/reproductive-justice\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.intimina.com\/blog\/reproductive-justice\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Natasha Weiss\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.intimina.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/b6c60ecf47ec06a36c4b2f175253c5ff\"},\"headline\":\"The Complex World of Reproductive Justice\",\"datePublished\":\"2020-10-19T11:28:59+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2020-10-19T11:28:59+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.intimina.com\/blog\/reproductive-justice\/\"},\"wordCount\":884,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.intimina.com\/blog\/#organization\"},\"articleSection\":[\"Sexual Wellness\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.intimina.com\/blog\/reproductive-justice\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.intimina.com\/blog\/reproductive-justice\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.intimina.com\/blog\/reproductive-justice\/\",\"name\":\"Reproductive Justice - Understanding The Necessity of Inclusivity\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.intimina.com\/blog\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2020-10-19T11:28:59+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2020-10-19T11:28:59+00:00\",\"description\":\"The term \u201creproductive justice\u201d has become a buzzword amongst those in the reproductive health fields - and for a good reason.\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.intimina.com\/blog\/reproductive-justice\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.intimina.com\/blog\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.intimina.com\/blog\/\",\"name\":\"Intimina\",\"description\":\"A Health and Wellness Resource for Women\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.intimina.com\/blog\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.intimina.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.intimina.com\/blog\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Intimina\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.intimina.com\/blog\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.intimina.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.intimina.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/INTIMINA_logo-02.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.intimina.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/INTIMINA_logo-02.png\",\"width\":1000,\"height\":543,\"caption\":\"Intimina\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.intimina.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/intimina\",\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intimina\",\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/intimina\/\",\"https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/intimina\/\",\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCR_3_GPO6pkhDiFU9TZRdYA\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.intimina.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/b6c60ecf47ec06a36c4b2f175253c5ff\",\"name\":\"Natasha Weiss\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.intimina.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/b65d7a92be626bc22ff8eb7ad41dbf0c?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/b65d7a92be626bc22ff8eb7ad41dbf0c?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Natasha Weiss\"},\"description\":\"Natasha (she\/her) is a full-spectrum doula and health+wellness copywriter. 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