The Reproductive Justice Issues

The topic of reproductive rights surrounding women in Texas has been a hot buttoned issue since the closing of many reproductive centers across the state. Recently damaging abortion restrictions were passed and therefor encroach on women’s reproductive rights even more by decreasing access to abortion care. Texas’ 84th Legislature, both passed HB 3994 as a law and had it Governor Abbott make it effective with his signature on July 8, or this year. This law complicates access to abortion services for mistreated and neglected minors and for those who do not possess specific identification cards in Texas.

In 1973, the US Supreme Court declared abortion a nationwide fundamental right through a trial called Roe vs. Wade and protected this right underneath the Fourteenth Amendment, more specifically, the right to privacy. A basic human right, especially one outlined by the Supreme Court, must never run at risk or threat chiefly because not everyone agrees with it. Under no circumstances should a pregnancy ever adjudge mandatory. Abortion is a Constitutional right and as a nation we must fight to give the right and freedom of safe abortions to women all around the nation, make birth control and sex education accessible to women, and raise awareness about the topic itself. (LawCornell)

In today’s society, women and people with different sexualities are negatively portrayed as objects and at times, unfit to make their own reproductive choices. Women all around the country are finally taking a stand towards reproductive justice. This topic of concern has been seen recently across the world, in Presidential debates, academic articles and in Cross-Cultural news. These mediums all depict how women all over the world are being deprived of their rights and reproductive choices. On the other hand, they also depict how women are reclaiming their reproductive justice and advocating for socially positive changes in the community. This case study of Reproductive Justice, will analyze these current events and articles, in order to apply

The “Pink Tax,” the bane of women everywhere, and especially in corporate America. Women’s products and health lies in the hands of corporations who charge more for products geared towards women than their male counterparts. This is usually by a few cents on the dollar, but keep in mind that women are paid less than men. So, this can add up over time, and cause many frustrations.

For my analysis I thought it would be interesting to look at the role of sex education and its importance within the Reproductive Justice narrative. I decided that I would talk to a group of friends about their middle school and high school sex education process so that I could get a better understanding of the wide range of sex education in America — or lack thereof in some cases. I conducted the interview in a group setting, as I thought it would be beneficial for everyone to compare their own experiences, while also listening to the similarities and differences within them. The first and second friend I interviewed had what I believe to be a typical high school sex education. Their classes touched upon things such as STI’s and safe sex practices, or more specifically the use of condoms.

Reproductive justice to me is the idea that women as a whole, can do whatever they please with their bodies, and women should be given human rights. This is important because as humans we have the rights to do what we please with our body. If someone wants to have sex with someone, let them. If someone accidentally gets pregnant, let them take care of that however they please. The keyword in my last sentence is they, as in the owner of the bodies, “women were willing to take risks to have sexual freedom – to have the right to choose” (hooks, 27). The government or whoever else is trying to be in charge should not be in charge of what women do with their bodies in the first place.

Tampons are simply too expensive for them to afford so that’s why many people are working to help these women who can’t afford to pay for them by holding drives and fundraisers. Margo Seibert and Caroline Angell started an organization in New York that holds “regular drives to collect hygiene products and package them for delivery to shelters and other places that have limited access” (Shen 1). Though this organization exists, it can not reach every homeless woman. This is why women are also working to cut the tampon tax entirely.

Up until the 1970s, a number of US states participated in the involuntary sterilization of women considered to be “feeble-minded” (Goering, 2014). California, the state with the highest number of involuntary sterilizations at the time, commonly saw this procedure happen to women who were either incarcerated, committed to mental asylums, or otherwise considered to be unfit mothers (Bouche & Rivard, 2014). The scientists and doctors performing these sterilizations were motivated by the greater good they believed they would to bring individuals and the whole of society.

I, Rhen Sandner, am paying a tax on my body. And so are you and you. 10 million women in Australia are also paying tax on their bodies. Currently in Australia the 10% goods and services tax is applied to women’s sanitary products, being classified as a luxury item. Yes, that’s correct, according to our society - tampons, pads and moon cups are a luxury item. By definition, a luxury item is purchases that are not necessary for living, but are deemed to be desired within society. This needs to change. Essentially, classifying sanitary items as a luxury purchase is enforcing the idea that women chose to have a uterus, women chose to menstruate and society denying the obvious fact that menstruation is a fundamental part of human nature. Yet women

“An estimated 10.7 million American women use oral contraceptives, the leading method of contraceptive in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, almost half of all pregnancies in the United States are unintended.” (NCSL) Ensuring that all America 's women have access to affordable contraception is what those who fight for the right for insured oral contraceptive want. In America, contraception is legal for everyone, not just married couples, and is frequently used by unmarried sexual partners for precisely that purpose: to avoid pregnancy and/or sexually transmitted diseases.

Women’s reproductive rights are a global issue in today’s world. Women have to fight to have the right to regulate their own bodies and reproductive choices, although in some countries their voices are ignored. Abortion, sterilization, contraceptives, and family planning services all encompass this global issue of women’s reproductive rights.

Many women don’t even consider it. Coughing up cash for a cylinder filled with cotton attached to a string is just a normal part of the lives of women. Paying for a biological process that naturally occurs in nearly all women is something that makes most not even bat an eye. Tampon prices can range from an average of $7.00 to $8.00 at local pharmaceuticals (i.e, Walgreens, Rite-Aid), with cost dependent on cardboard or plastic applicators, quantity, and yes, even color. The typical woman menstruates three to seven days for an average of 38 years of her life, meaning the average woman spends 2,280 days on her period. Due to this, she is estimated to buy over $2,000 worth of tampons in her lifetime. This isn’t including the dreadful rest stop bathroom discoveries that’ll cost $.50-$1.00 a pop at the dispenser, or the sudden road trip blunders that’ll cost $4.00- $5.00 for the six pack at the gas station even though only one is needed; because, the fact is, not only are they overpriced, they’re never as available as restrooms in most areas. They are also unavailable to more than just the panicked traveler. Food stamps do not cover feminine products, and many women resort to selling their food stamps to cover the cost of pads or tampons each month. Most prisons do not even provide feminine products, so women must rely on commissary to purchase tampons, while supplies

In 1992, the New York City Department of Consumer Affairs (NYCDCA) conducted a study where it was found that women paid, on average, 25% more for the same haircut as men. Subsequently, in 1994, the state of California estimated that women paid an annual gender tax of approximately $1,351 for the same services as men and therefore, in 1995, California decided to introduce a bill in order to protect consumers from price discrimination for services, for example from hair salons, however, not for gender pricing of goods . These examples demonstrate that “pink taxes” seem to exist for a long period of time and gives the impression to persist.

Every month, women are subjected to days of immense pain. A combination of symptoms such as cramps, headaches, mood swings, and the uncomfortable, uncontrollable sensation of expelling one's uterus lining are not things women look forward to. In addition to this discomfort, Australian women have to pay for costly feminine hygiene products such as tampons and sanitary napkins throughout decades of their lives. Despite these products being a necessity for women, they continue to be taxed in Australia through the goods and services tax (GST). Feminine hygiene products should be tax free within Australia because of the ineffective nature of the GST due to current GST-exclusions, and also because of current gender imbalances including the issues

Balancing the needs of individuals and businesses is a constant struggle from a health care point of view. In the past contraceptives have not been looked as a healthcare necessity but studies have shown the opposite. The need for contraceptive coverage has affected social policy.