What happens when the fight over reproductive freedom becomes a fight over women's place in society? My guest, Erin Matson, has spent more than two decades confronting that question. As the co-founder, president, and CEO of Reproaction, she's witnessed how political movements build power, how women's rights become bargaining chips, and how battles that appear to be about one issue are often connected to something much bigger. Erin believes we're living through a moment when the status of women itself is being contested. In this conversation, we examine the forces behind that struggle, the relationship between reproductive autonomy and authoritarianism, and the growing influence of those who control what women are allowed to know. We also confront an uncomfortable question: When the stakes are this high, what does it mean to refuse to retreat? This is a conversation about far more than abortion. It's about power, equality, and who gets to decide the future of women's freedom. In This Episode The decades-long strategy behind the fall of Roe v. Wade Why softening the language around women's rights can have unintended consequences The connection between reproductive restrictions, traditional gender roles, and political power What the tradwife movement reveals about competing visions of women's place in society Why women's movements are uniquely threatening to authoritarian power The reproductive health information women may be encountering without realizing what's behind it How Big Tech is shaping access to information about women's bodies What refusing anticipatory obedience looks like when the consequences are real Why Erin believes this fight can still be won Key Moments 00:00 | The Status of Women Is Up for Grabs 03:16 | The Strategy Behind the Fall of Roe 10:00 | Reproductive Freedom and the Battle for Power 16:22 | Tradwife Culture and Women's Roles 22:51 | Women's Rights and Authoritarianism 27:08 | What Is at Stake for Women's Equality 28:45 | The Machinery of Reproductive Health Disinformation 33:04 | The Fight Over Medication Abortion and Big Tech 41:03 | No Anticipatory Obedience About Erin Matson Erin Matson is the co-founder, president, and CEO of Reproaction, a national organization dedicated to increasing access to abortion and advancing reproductive justice. A longtime feminist organizer and advocate, Erin became the youngest state president in the history of the National Organization for Women at age 23. For more than two decades, she has worked at the intersection of reproductive freedom, women's equality, grassroots organizing, and political advocacy. Her work and commentary have appeared in national and international media, including MSNBC, BBC World News, Al Jazeera English, PBS, The Washington Post, and The New York Times. Guest Links & Resources Reproaction: https://reproaction.org Visit Reproaction to learn about its advocacy campaigns, sign petitions, subscribe to updates, and explore opportunities to take action. Continue the Conversation The thinking continues beyond the mic. Explore essays, reflections, and extended conversations on Substack: https://substack.com/@robbinjorgensen Connect with Robbin Jorgensen: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robbinjorgensen/ Supporting Sponsor As a woman navigating financial decisions — especially when the system wasn’t built with you in mind — having the right partner matters. For three decades, Godfrey Financial has intentionally centered women in financial decision-making — not as an afterthought, but as leaders. In a field where women are often expected to sit to the side, Godfrey Financial places women at the head of the table — creating space where women don’t just discuss confidence and agency, but experience it in practice. Learn more at: https://godfreyfinancial.com