Reproductive Freedom in the Deep South: Introduction to the Series
This is our kick-off episode introducing audiences to the six-part series where we will host conversations with a range of people and professionals who are experiencing first-hand the effects and the fallout of the Dobbs decision here in Alabama. In June of 2022, the constitutional right to access abortion care in the US was revoked when the Supreme Court overturned Roe vs. Wade, which had been the law of the land for 50 years. On that same day, this judgment—which we’ll refer to as “Dobbs”—triggered a state-wide ban on abortion here in Alabama. Ours is among the most extreme bans in the country, with NO exceptions for rape or incest. And while abortion is most talked about, this is not a single-issue struggle. Here is what the National Resource Center on Domestic Violence has to say about the movement for reproductive justice: “This intersectional paradigm at the core of reproductive justice acknowledges that systems of oppression simultaneously discriminate based on race, gender, sexuality, class, ability, age, immigration status, language, and other factors. These intersecting forms of oppression and discrimination have historically resulted in power, privilege, and resources for a select few and limited access to power and resources for a large majority, including women of color, women in poverty, women as an overall group, and others. Reproductive justice aims to bring about the complete physical, mental, spiritual, political, social and economic well-being of women and girls, based on the full achievement and protection of not only women’s reproductive rights, but their human rights” ( VAWnet). This series is riding on a wave that is already building and growing strong in Alabama. In this introduction, members of the FemmsAct team talk about what they have been doing this last year to build an activist wing of our book club community. We also layout the framework for our series, and discuss the multitude of ways reproductive justice touches our lives. We talk about the data, which already shows that in states with the most extreme bans, women experience the highest mortality rates, teenage pregnancy, economic inequality, poverty, incarceration, and poor healthcare. As these stories unfold, we will build undeniable evidence that reproductive autonomy is central to our liberation. Our mission is to keep this conversation in the public, free of shame and fear. This is just the beginning... *A couple of quick disclaimers: The studies and statistics we’ll be referencing in these episodes do use gendered language. And in this podcast we reference organizations and websites that are not a part of FemmSouth. FemmSouth is not responsible for any information they offer, nor is FemmSouth responsible for any actions listeners take based on the information and they provide. FemmSouth exercises its First-Amendment right to provide publicly sourced information. **NOTES: Links to resources and reports mentioned within the episode. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Nb9fR-3OB3CYJtj0ySMeazQ4xAzDMqL2nrm9EbNMMZQ/edit?usp=sharing
