The central tenet of reproductive justice is that every woman has the right to have children, not have children, and to parent the children we have in safe and healthy environments.
Clearly, it is past time to refocus the nation’s attention on our deep racial disparities in housing, economic well-being, education and health care. But it turns out that the MBK initiative is only for boys and young men of color. That’s a problem for anyone who cares about gender and racial justice.
Two and a half weeks ago, I was thrilled to open the annual conference of the National Organization for Women in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Albuquerque felt like the perfect place to meet up with activists and map out action plans to move the feminist agenda forward. Just a year ago, the women of Albuquerque formed an emergency coalition, Respect ABQ Women, to fight against a dangerous municipal anti-abortion ballot measure.
When we talk about procedures and treatments that prevent heart attacks, we call it cardiac care. Children receive pediatric care, and anyone who takes ibuprofen is dealing with pain care.
So why would anyone object to calling a legal medical procedure that one in three women will utilize in their lifetime abortion care?
Mothers are feminists too. Why would anyone doubt that?
Back in 2012, a debate in the New York Times was printed under the headline, “Motherhood vs. Feminism.” Really? We have to make a choice?