Intersectionality in the American South's Podcast

Ep. 3 The Healing Work of Reproductive Justice

March 20, 2023 Season 1 Episode 3
Ep. 3 The Healing Work of Reproductive Justice
Intersectionality in the American South's Podcast
More Info
Intersectionality in the American South's Podcast
Ep. 3 The Healing Work of Reproductive Justice
Mar 20, 2023 Season 1 Episode 3

Welcome to Intersectionality in the American South, where educators, students, activists, and community members come together and unpack current realities for black, indigenous & people of color. In each episode, we will discuss the impact of racism, sexism, classism, heterosexism, and anti-immigrant sentiment on the lives of Atlanta residents and BIPOC individuals throughout the south.

Today I am interviewing Charity Woods Barnes, the founder of the Reproductive Justice Resilience Project, a national organization based right here in Atlanta, Georgia that supports the healing, self-care and holistic work of BIPOC individuals. Today we are here having a difficult conversation, but also a timely one.

In a post Dobbs reality, we need to unpack what it means to live in a state like Georgia. After the overturning of Roe v. Wade, as black and indigenous people of color, we suffer countless attacks on our bodily autonomy and our reproductive rights. In the United States, black and indigenous birthing people are more likely to die during childbirth than women of any other race.

We are at greater risk of complications like hypertension and preeclampsia, irrespective of our income levels and irrespective of our education levels. So our decisions regarding if and when to give birth if and when to use contraception, and the circumstances that influence these decisions are not just personal.

They are inherently political. We make these decisions with the historical backdrop of racism that's fueled the forced sterilization of women of color and the predatory promotion of contraception use for low income and needy families. 

Most recently we've seen dozens of migrant women come. With reports of forced sterilizations while in ice custody at the Irwin Detention Center in Ocilla, Georgia. Today, we are fortunate to have Charity Woods Barnes here to help us make sense of these issues and to talk about her healing work in the community.

Follow us on Twitter @intersectsouth or visit our website at https://sites.gsu.edu/intersectsouth/

Show Notes

Welcome to Intersectionality in the American South, where educators, students, activists, and community members come together and unpack current realities for black, indigenous & people of color. In each episode, we will discuss the impact of racism, sexism, classism, heterosexism, and anti-immigrant sentiment on the lives of Atlanta residents and BIPOC individuals throughout the south.

Today I am interviewing Charity Woods Barnes, the founder of the Reproductive Justice Resilience Project, a national organization based right here in Atlanta, Georgia that supports the healing, self-care and holistic work of BIPOC individuals. Today we are here having a difficult conversation, but also a timely one.

In a post Dobbs reality, we need to unpack what it means to live in a state like Georgia. After the overturning of Roe v. Wade, as black and indigenous people of color, we suffer countless attacks on our bodily autonomy and our reproductive rights. In the United States, black and indigenous birthing people are more likely to die during childbirth than women of any other race.

We are at greater risk of complications like hypertension and preeclampsia, irrespective of our income levels and irrespective of our education levels. So our decisions regarding if and when to give birth if and when to use contraception, and the circumstances that influence these decisions are not just personal.

They are inherently political. We make these decisions with the historical backdrop of racism that's fueled the forced sterilization of women of color and the predatory promotion of contraception use for low income and needy families. 

Most recently we've seen dozens of migrant women come. With reports of forced sterilizations while in ice custody at the Irwin Detention Center in Ocilla, Georgia. Today, we are fortunate to have Charity Woods Barnes here to help us make sense of these issues and to talk about her healing work in the community.

Follow us on Twitter @intersectsouth or visit our website at https://sites.gsu.edu/intersectsouth/