With the recent passage of an anti-abortion law in Texas, reproductive justice is back in the news and the national conversation again. There will be rallies and marches all across the country this Saturday, October 2nd, organized and sponsored by the Women’s March. You can join me and Rev. Mary and other OUUC folks at the Olympia march, meeting at the WWII monument on the Capitol Campus at 2pm.
Unitarian Universalists have long been advocates for women’s rights, personal choice, accurate sexuality education, LGBTQ+ rights, and gender equality. UU’s now understand this struggle as Reproductive Justice. This framework recognizes that reproductive health and choice is not just an issue for cis-women, but also includes trans and non-binary people, and cis-men as well. It also recognizes that framing this as a “choice” doesn’t address the inequities and injustices in our systems that have created reproductive oppression of marginalized people, particularly women of color and disabled people. You can access a webinar and other information on these frameworks here.
In 2015, the Unitarian Universalist Association, through a vote of the General Assembly, adopted a Statement of Conscience on Reproductive Justice. The statement outlines our theological basis for this work and suggests actions we can take as individuals and as congregations. You can read the Statement of Conscience here.
Our OUUC high school youth have chosen to do a deeper dive into reproductive justice this year, and we’ll be exploring that topic in youth group this Fall, then hopefully bringing some of that learning to the larger congregation in the winter. Watch for more information about ways you can get involved.
I hope to see some of you on Saturday at the march, where we can affirm that our faith calls us toward justice for all.
Yours in the struggle for justice,
Sara
