"An Examination of Race in Reproductive Oppression: Why Intersectional " by Emma Adams
  •  
  •  
 
UC Law SF Journal on Gender and Justice

Authors

Emma Adams

Abstract

This article examines the perpetuation of white supremacy in reproductive oppression throughout American history. The history of the reproductive rights movement, when applying a racialized lens, often looks contradictory in protections and restrictions implemented by the American government, at both the federal and state level. For example, contraception, while often thought to provide more access to family planning and personal autonomy, was historically implemented in a way that relied on racist and classist framings to prevent more black and brown children from being born. This paradigm has fluctuated throughout American history to now prevent black and brown women from receiving abortions as an attempt to stall upward social and economic mobility and maintain patriarchal power structures. Under either framing, a woman’s choice in reproduction is severely compromised. Therefore, the term “reproductive oppression” will serve as a guiding term to categorize any reproductive policy that takes a choice away from women. In this article, I examine the trends towards limiting reproductive freedoms both before and after the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision in 2022, focusing on the disproportionate impact of restrictive legislation on poor women of color. An examination of relevant practices and legislation show that nonwhite women suffer the greatest from laws restricting the right to bodily autonomy. With this reality in mind, this article encourages the application of a more intersectional approach in securing reproductive freedom moving past the Dobbs decision, recognizing that women of color must be considered and uplifted in political advocacy and action. This reporting provides an opportunity for all people to expand their understanding of how the fight for reproductive justice is interwoven with systemic racism and organize effectively to secure bodily autonomy. Disrupting abortion stigma at the micro, mesa, and macro levels through interpersonal relationships, incorporating intersectionality in research about women of color and reproduction, and organizing with advocacy groups who prioritize women of color’s health care solutions I suggest towards advocating for reproductive justice in 2024 and beyond.

Share

COinS