SisterSong, a pioneering women of color collective, defines Reproductive Justice as a fundamental human right. This encompasses the right to maintain personal bodily autonomy, the right to have children, the right not to have children, and the right to nurture the children we have within secure and thriving communities. This concept of “Sister Song” truly embodies the collective voice and shared experiences driving this movement.
The Historical Roots of Reproductive Justice and SisterSong’s Emergence
While the fight for Reproductive Justice has deep roots within Indigenous communities, communities of color, and among trans* individuals, the term itself was formally articulated in 1994. This pivotal year saw a group of Black women convening in Chicago, just before the significant International Conference on Population and Development in Cairo. This global conference aimed to solidify the individual’s right to family planning as central to development worldwide. However, these women recognized a critical gap: the mainstream women’s rights movement, largely led by and representing affluent white women, was not adequately addressing the distinct needs of women of color and other marginalized groups, including trans* people. The need for a self-led national movement to champion the most vulnerable women, families, and communities was clear.
These visionary women named themselves Women of African Descent for Reproductive Justice, marking the official birth of RJ. Grounded in the internationally recognized human rights framework established by the United Nations, Reproductive Justice uniquely merges reproductive rights with the broader struggle for social justice. The movement was publicly launched with a powerful full-page statement, endorsed by over 800 signatures, published in The Washington Post and Roll Call. Building upon this foundation, SisterSong was established just three years later in 1997. Its mission was to cultivate a national, multi-ethnic Reproductive Justice movement, amplifying the voices and concerns of those most often overlooked.
Core Tenets of Reproductive Justice as Articulated by SisterSong
SisterSong’s framework of Reproductive Justice rests on several core beliefs:
- Reproductive Justice is a fundamental human right. This principle is anchored in the United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights, an internationally accepted legal framework detailing individual rights and governmental responsibilities in protecting these rights. SisterSong emphasizes this human rights foundation as crucial to their mission.
- Reproductive Justice is about access, fundamentally more than just choice. Mainstream movements have often concentrated on maintaining the legality of abortion as an individual choice. While essential, SisterSong argues this is insufficient. Legal access on paper does not translate to real access for many women of color who face financial barriers or live far from healthcare facilities. Without genuine access, choice becomes a hollow concept.
- Reproductive Justice extends far beyond abortion. While access to abortion is a critical component, SisterSong highlights that women of color and marginalized communities often encounter systemic barriers in accessing a comprehensive range of reproductive health services. This includes contraception, comprehensive sex education, STI prevention and treatment, diverse birthing options, adequate prenatal and pregnancy care, support for survivors of domestic violence, living wages to support families, and safe housing, among many other essential resources.
Achieving Reproductive Justice: SisterSong’s Action-Oriented Approach
To realize Reproductive Justice, SisterSong advocates for a multifaceted approach:
- Analyzing and dismantling power systems. SisterSong recognizes that reproductive politics in the United States are rooted in gendered, sexualized, and racialized power dynamics that manifest in daily life. Reproductive Justice work necessitates understanding and actively dismantling these complex and subtle systems of dominance.
- Addressing intersecting oppressions. Drawing on the wisdom of Audre Lorde, who stated, “There is no such thing as a single-issue struggle because we do not live single-issue lives,” SisterSong emphasizes intersectionality. Marginalized women experience overlapping forms of oppression, and achieving liberation requires addressing the interconnected nature of these injustices.
- Centering the most marginalized voices and experiences. SisterSong firmly believes that societal liberation is intrinsically linked to the well-being of its most vulnerable members. True freedom will only be achieved when those most marginalized have equitable access to resources and the full spectrum of human rights, enabling them to live self-determined lives free from fear, discrimination, and retaliation.
- Uniting across issues and identities. SisterSong views Reproductive Justice as a unifying framework. Recognizing that all forms of oppression impact reproductive lives, RJ provides a lens through which to view human rights in the context of self-determined family creation. This intersectional nature of RJ serves as both an opportunity and a call for collective action, uniting diverse movements to achieve liberation for all oppressed people.
