In Loretta Ross’ essay “What is Reproductive Justice?” in Reproductive Justice Briefing Book: A Primer on Reproductive Justice and Social Change, Loretta writes:

“Reproductive Justice can be used as a theory for thinking about how to connect the dots in our lives. It is also a strategy for bringing together social justice movements. But also, it is a practice- a way of analyzing our lives through the art of telling our stories to realize our visions and bring fresh passions to our work.” 

What makes the reproductive justice framework different from the reproductive health and reproductive rights frameworks is that reproductive justice provides a holistic understanding of our circumstances, and how these circumstances help or hinder our sexual and reproductive health decision-making.

It’s easy to “see” reproductive health, as it centers the interaction between patient and healthcare provider. It’s also easy to “see” the impact of reproductive rights, as evident by ever-changing state abortion laws and contraception restrictions, to name a few.

But what does reproductive justice actually look like?

Think about all of the steps you take to go to a doctor’s appointment.

You have to schedule the appointment, get to the appointment, wait for the appointment, be in the appointment, leave the appointment, and follow up after the appointment.

For each step, we’re making observations. These observations consider our circumstances, and together they can reflect what we may experience in this doctor’s appointment.

A pregnant teen, a menopausal woman, a working single mom, a nonbinary person, a Muslim, a person who is non-English speaking, a person in a wheelchair, a pregnant women with a prior miscarriage, a person living in a rural area where the nearest clinic is a 2-hour commute away, a pregnant incarcerated woman, a newly widowed 60-year-old, a person without health insurance, an undocumented person, a person living in a high-income area, and unhoused teen, or a person with a substance use or mental health diagnosis will have different experiences.

To SEE reproductive justice involves, we must center individual and community circumstances, taking into account how these circumstances can impact sexual and reproductive health decision-making and how we access these services.

To see what reproductive justice looks like, look no further than your own personal experience.

Let’s say you want to make an appointment to discuss contraception (aka birth control) options. Similar to my own experience with choosing a contraceptive method, our social networks (primarily family and friends) can have an influence over our birth control choices. (See here and here). You may know of certain contraception methods, but you want to see what all is available.

Think about your personal identities and circumstances. Using the following three questions, let’s see what reproductive justice actually looks like, based on your personal circumstances:

What am I experiencing before this appointment?

Before making your appointment, what do you consider and how might this be influenced by your personal circumstances?

  • Do they accept your insurance coverage or can they cash payments on the sliding scale?
  • If you work full time, does the clinic offer weekend appointments?
  • If you have kids, is childcare offered? If not, where will they be while you’re at the appointment?
  • Is the clinic setting accessible for wheelchair, Braille, or language interpretation access?
  • If you need to bring someone with you, is this allowed?
  • If you need gender affirming care, do you feel comfortable asking about this?
  • How far is the clinic from where you live or work? Do you have a reliable way to get there?
  • While traveling there, what are you noticing about the community you’re in?
  • Are you able to get an appointment when you want it, or do you have to wait?
  • Do you have to call to schedule an appointment, can you schedule online, or both?
  • Are you given insight into what to expect when you come to the appointment?

What am I experiencing during this appointment?

You’re in the waiting room. What are you noticing, and how might this be influenced by your personal circumstances?

  • Do any of the front office staff share your race/ethnicity or cultural identity?
  • Do any of the medical providers share your race/ethnicity or cultural identity?
  • Are your personal identities reflected in the clinic’s marketing materials?
  • Are the clinic’s marketing materials offered in multiple languages?
  • What language(s) are being spoken by staff?
  • How are you being treated by front office staff?
  • How long is the wait?

You’re now in your appointment with your healthcare provider (either a nurse, doctor, or social worker trained in options counseling). What are you noticing?

  • Are you asked about your primary contraception goals?
  • Does the provider inform you of all contraception options available for use, how they work, and possible side effects?
  • Does the provider take into account your personal circumstances to identify the methods that may work for you?
  • If you want a specific contraception, is it available at this clinic?
  • If you want a specific contraception, do you have to schedule another appointment to get it?
  • Do you feel comfortable talking to this provider?
  • Do you feel like you’re being pressured into choosing particular contraception method?
  • Do you feel like you’re being pressured into choosing a method right now?
  • Does the provider ask about relevant information concerning your medical history, including any health risks and past complications that could conflict with the methods you’re interested in?
  • Does the provider let you know all of the ways they can contact you after the appointment, and are you given a preference for how to be contacted?
  • How long are you with the provider?

What am I experiencing after this appointment?

It’s been a few days since your appointment. What are you noticing, and how might this be influenced by your personal circumstances?

  • Did the clinic honor your preferred method of contacting you?
  • Did your insurance cover your appointment and choice of contraception method?
  • Did you receive an unexpected service bill?
  • Can you easily make a follow up appointment, especially if you’re experiencing any unexpected side effects?
  • How easily can you change your preferred method, and how open is the clinic in helping you with this change?

Key takeaway

While our experiences are unique to us, it’s possible that others are having the same experiences. Being able to examine and talk about our personal experiences opens us understanding others’ experiences. Our stories compound, leading to greater awareness and more understanding of the many factors we take into account when making sexual and reproductive decisions. This is a great first step towards really seeing what reproductive justice looks like.

Raise Your Voice: What is one change you can make in how you SEE reproductive justice? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.

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