Reproductive Justice

Reproductive Justice (RJ) is an important part of preventing sexual violence. It is a framework founded by Black women in 1994 who felt the current movement of reproductive choice failed to reflect the needs of women of color and other marginalized women and trans people. RJ is rooted in social justice in that it centers marginalized identities and their intersections, ensuring access to the resources. As well as the economic, social, and political power to make informed and healthy decisions about their bodies, sexuality, and reproduction.

RJ expanded the existing understanding of reproductive choice, which focused mostly on a white, cis woman’s ability to end an unintended pregnancy, to be more inclusive of anyone who can get pregnant, as well as support people with the families they already have. RJ is more than just about choice; it is about access. While choice is certainly an important part of reproductive justice, choice means little when someone has no access to abortion services. Due to the effects of racism and other forms of oppression, many women of color, and other marginalized people, are of low income and are unable to travel the potentially long distance for an abortion and other reproductive health care.

The women who founded the framework of RJ later named themselves Women of African Descent for Reproductive Justice, which three years later became SisterSong. SisterSong is the largest national, multi-ethnic reproductive justice organization.

SisterSong defines reproductive justice as “the human right to maintain personal bodily autonomy, have children, not have children, and parent the children we have in safe and sustainable communities”.