Reproductive Rights Are Human Rights: A Birthworker’s Perspective

Reproductive Rights Are Human Rights: A Birthworker’s Perspective


2 minute read

"Written by Supinda Shirihekaphong"

As a woman, a birthworker and someone who supports women's reproductive rights, I have had the privilege of accessing a legal abortion in my early 20s, and to that end, I'd like to congratulate and commend the Los Angeles Coalition for Reproductive Justice on their inaugural quarterly newsletter.  


As a frontline birthworker who supports all birth outcomes, from full-term births to still births to terminated pregnancies, I am indebted to the advocacy that LACRJ member organizations do to educate the public about reproductive justice and to advocate for policy decisions that uphold citizen's rights to reproductive health. I've trained with Access Reproductive Justice programs that help volunteers safely and compassionately support folks who access abortion services.  I've witnessed first-hand, the difference in how my clients of color are treated compared to my white clients. Because of this difference, I automatically understand that I must step up my role as an advocate for my clients of color.

 
Reproductive healthcare is an essential service that impacts the whole population, not just self-identified women.  Overwhelming evidence shows that gender inequality negatively impacts the global and US economies.

 

Access to reproductive health is a major factor in women's economic empowerment, and this access is threatened daily in the US and around the world. Last month, we wrote about the fight for abortion access in Texas. Sexual and reproductive education, including family planning, sexually transmitted diseases and fertility awareness, is needed, to combat menstruation and menopause stigma and to improve gender equality. Reproductive health and rights should be upheld throughout society, from community centers, to places of worship and schools.

 

More importantly, LACRJ brings awareness to the intersections of gender/sexual identity, race and class in reproductive health and justice.  LACRJ educates the public and birthworkers like myself on how to show up, stand up, and support our fellow BIPOC and LGBTIQ community members with cultural humility and sensitivity.

 

I don't know if we are at the height this generation's cultural and civil unrest, but I support LACRJ so I can continue to be a proud first-generation Thai-American, who honors and want to continue the work that has already been done by our foremothers, especially BIPOC leaders of the reproductive justice movement.

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