Reimagining the Future of the Reproductive Health, Rights and Justice Movement

[niyad]

Reimagining the Future of the Reproductive Health, Rights and Justice Movement
5/24/2022 by Amber Gavin and Israel Cook

As we await a decision from the Supreme Court in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, those working every day on the frontlines are alarmed—but also committed to reimagining reproductive rights in this country. While the two of us come to this movement from different backgrounds and identities, and bring different approaches, we are bound by shared passion for the work we do. Here we reflect on what makes us hopeful for the future.

What brought us to the reproductive health and rights movements?

Amber Gavin: I came to the reproductive health field from a deeply personal place. After being sexually assaulted in college by an acquaintance, I went to a family medicine practice where the doctor refused to prescribe me emergency contraception. This experience spurred me to work in reproductive health. I know how crucial it is to have a supportive healthcare provider who trusts and listens. This is the patient-centered approach I always bring.

Israel Cook: As a queer Black woman in the South, I grew up facing the reality that accessing reproductive health services meant something different for me than many of my peers. My desire to incorporate all my identities led me to the reproductive justice movement. As defined by SisterSong, reproductive justice, founded by Black women, works towards the human right of bodily autonomy, the right to have children, not have children and parent children in safe and sustainable communities. Now as I work in the reproductive rights legal and policy space, I strive to bring a reproductive justice lens to my work.




The entrance to A Woman’s Choice reproductive health clinic in Raleigh, N.C. (Courtesy of Amber Gavin)

What excites us about the future of the reproductive health and rights movements?

Gavin: For healthcare staff, and others in the reproductive health community, our vision is abortion de-stigmatization. A world where abortion is discussed openly, not shamefully. The ability to access care with no harassment or intimidation. And a future where abortion clinics are not just secure in their legality, but where the communities around them thrive. Abortion providers, funds and advocates are courageous. Every day we provide reproductive health care that includes abortion as part of a broader system of community support and self-actualization. Without question, weakening or losing Roe will be devastating in the short term. But I know we can build something new, something better. The space is ripe for new movement partners, such as new advocates like Israel, to come share in community and build a reproductive health and rights framework that is stronger and more inclusive. As someone newer to the movement, I aim to embrace different approaches to establish true access to abortion and achieve the ultimate goals of the reproductive justice movement.
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A mural on the walls of A Woman’s Choice clinic in Greensboro, N.C. (Courtesy of Amber Gavin)

Cook: For lawyers, Roe is exalted as the foundation of the right to abortion. While Roe has been a key component of the liberty doctrine—supporting not only the right to abortion, but also rights for LGBTQ people—abortion opponents have continued to chip away at abortion rights and access. One thing the current landscape makes clear is that Roe has not provided access to everyone: Many people already live in a post-Roe reality. Yet this does not have to be our future. Advocates, providers, lawyers and everyday people across the country can confront this reality and build a future where we uplift and center the voices and ideas of Black people, people of color, disabled people, immigrants, young people and more.


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A Woman’s Choice in Raleigh, N.C. “I know how crucial it is to have a supportive healthcare provider who trusts and listens,” said Amber Gavin, who leads advocacy for A Woman’s Choice. “This is the patient-centered approach I always bring.” (Courtesy of Gavin)


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https://msmagazine.com/2022/05/24/roe-v-wade-future-abortion-choice/