We believe that sex, and everything that comes with it, should be valued and addressed as a human right. Although feminists have historically framed reproductive activism through a vocabulary of individual freedom and choice, focusing on specific choices such as the right to have an abortion or chose to raise a child, we recognize here that issues revolving around sex should be handled more rigorously and inclusively at the legislative level. Just like other identifiable human rights, reproductive rights deserve the attention and protection of government and society to ensure that people of all different races, gender identities, sexualities, socio-economic backgrounds, and religious affiliations are guaranteed quality access to the reproductive care and assistance needed to maintain healthy lives.
We are a group of students at Bates College working together to provide genuine information for all members of our academic community. Recognizing how little sex education we personally received during our prior education, we want to change the narrative for other under informed and frustrated members of the Bates community, creating a space to share information about reproductive justice that is inclusive and progressive. It's also important to note that while we are passionate students and feminists, we are not medical practitioners. All research, therefore, was conducted in an academic setting, and all resources provided through an academic lense. A future goal of ours may be to enrich our research and knowledge by extending it beyond an academic setting, by reaching out to medical professionals, sociologists, feminists, etc. Never the less, "Let’s Talk About Sex" has been established in an effort to mobilize a new definition of reproductive justice, attending specifically to inclusive, non-heteronormative, non-gender binding information and resources about issues including: sexual education, STI prevention and care, abortion and other alternative birth options, prenatal care, and parental assistance/aid. Furthermore, we hope to educate the general population of Bates about their current reproductive rights as well as raise awareness about the current political climate–including what rhetoric and knowledge most students hear and share–surrounding issues of reproductive health. |