Political Science Faculty Publications and Presentations
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
8-12-2024
Abstract
Feminist scholars of reproductive justice argue for a broader model of politics organised around embodied experience. But to fully express the intersectional politics of reproductive justice, more attention must be given to the social function of embodiment—the ways that bodily markers create associative communities among strangers. This shared form of embodiment establishes connections that exceed the intimate relationship of a specific pregnancy. In particular, foetal embodiment manifests via communities with vested interest in the social meaning of life. These communities are affected, albeit indirectly, by reproductive choices and are therefore valid subjects of concern for reproductive justice. I develop the argument by focusing on disability, a specific form of embodiment where control over reproductive life is exercised not merely via state regulation of choice but also through social reproduction of normality. Engaging with foetal embodiment poses genuine risks—given popular arguments that link coercive regulations to the idea of ‘foetal personhood’. But these risks must be faced if reproductive justice is to be a truly intersectional project.
Recommended Citation
Olney, Charles. "our bodies, our choices: reproductive justice and social embodiment." Feminist Review 137.1 (2024): 27-43. https://doi.org/10.1177/01417789241238721
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Publication Title
Feminist Review
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1177/01417789241238721
Comments
© 2024 The Author(s). This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) which permits any use, reproduction and distribution of the work without further permission provided the original work is attributed as specified on the SAGE and Open Access pages (https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/open-access-at-sage).