Copy
ReproNews logo header
ISSUE 30: March 2021 
A still from the video “The History of Reproductive Justice.”


Editors’ Note

Dear Readers,

As we move out of Black History Month and into Womxn’s History Month, we can celebrate the histories that these months commemorate and also consider how our national calendar illustrates the ongoing need for us to use intersectional approaches and problematize social categories. 

If “Women’s History Month” has conventionally recognized white cis women’s stories as the norm, we can take some comfort in recent conversations that emphasize the histories of women of color, trans women, and gender non-conforming individuals in the United States. 

The framework of reproductive justice (RJ) offers us tools to foreground the legacies and ongoing realities of reproductive injustices against Black women, other women of color, poor women, and LGBTQIA+ people, and their collective action to ensure reproductive autonomy and freedom. This website has some great resources, including an introductory video on RJ and some recommended reading.

Our spotlight article this month discusses sexual health in South Asian immigrant communities. Check out our events calendar and job + opportunities board for ways to get involved in reproductive rights, health, and justice work. As always, please send any feedback about ReproNews or contributions to Kelsey at klain@tulane.edu.

Sincerely,

Clare Daniel, PhD, Newcomb Institute, Tulane University
Kelsey Lain, School of Science and Engineering, Class of 2023
Morgan Elmslie, School of Science and Engineering, Class of 2022
Aliyah Daniels, ReproNews co-founder, Class of 2018

SPOTLIGHT ARTICLE


Sexual Health in the South Asian Community
Rajvi Kumar, School of Science and Engineering, ‘23

Growing up, I was never given the “birds and the bees” talk. The expectation, normalized by my culture, was that sex was only talked about after marriage. Yet the exposure to sex and intimacy that I received growing up in a Western society conflicted heavily with what I was told at home. 

This common theme of sexual acts seen as “taboo” in South Asian culture can be widely attributed to cultural factors, sexism, and sociopolitical context. It was the culture in which South Asian immigrant women, like my mother, were raised. Immigrant women, in particular, face a particular conflict in which they are faced with a difficult cultural transition into Western society. Immigration issues, adjustments, racism, and sexism have led many immigrant women to experience distress and dissatisfaction when migrating to a new country. The transition that immigrant families face can directly affect the mental and physical health of their children. Chandini S. Shah, in her paper South Asian women’s sexual relationship power: Examining the role of sexism, cultural values conflict, discrimination, and social support, found that first-generation immigrant daughters, in particular, are often faced with strict gender socialization constraints, specifically in relation to dating and sexual relationships.

These constraints directly conflict with what is portrayed in Western media. For instance, in Western movies and shows, sexual acts are often portrayed openly in cinema. Pre-marital relationships and intimacy are promoted through the media. However, in Bollywood cinema, even a kissing scene was uncommon to see in early 2000s movies (this is changing, however, in current Bollywood movies). Premarital relationships were strongly advised against and often ostracized in society. Thus, South Asian girls and women can often face additional mental and physical health problems due to the conflicting messages portrayed on Western Media.

Therefore, while several Western countries like the United States offer resources like reproductive health clinics, contraceptives, and information on relationships, the struggle to obtain these resources is about more than just accessibility. It is about acceptance. The stigma, fear, and conflicting values are what many South Asian girls like me perceive as a block from obtaining sexual health and relationship resources necessary for their reproductive health. 

This long-lasting stigma, however, has generated advocacy from many communities with the goal to promote safe spaces for South Asian youth to discuss topics like sexual health, sexuality, mental health, and more. Tania Chaterjee and her brother Trish Charterjee founded one of these groups, the South Asian Sexual and Mental Health Alliance (SAMHSA), which provides workshops, podcasts, and additional resources for South Asian youth and adults. Many influencers on platforms like Instagram and TikTok, like Tiffany Sequiera (@gynaegirl) and Dr. Anita Mitra (@gynaegeek), are taking over the media with support for South Asian youth in seeking reproductive health and relationship advice. Action is being taken within the New Orleans and Tulane community as well. VAYLA New Orleans is an intersectional, non-profit  Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI ) organization that focuses on reducing the stigma of sex, relationships, and reproductive health in the AAPI community. Hopefully, the progress made by the South Asian community can further reduce stigma and open up a necessary discussion about sexual and reproductive health for upcoming generations.

ANNOUNCEMENTS AND RESOURCES

The NYTimes set up a primal scream line for parents working and parenting during the pandemic. Click here to view that as well as other resources.



Sign the petition to establish an Office of Women’s Health in Louisiana. Click here to join on as a partner.
 



Urge Congress to support comprehensive legislation addressing the Black maternal health crisis! Sign the petition.
 



The National Birth Equity Collaborative is looking for a New Orleans Policy Intern!
 



Check out SisterSong’s Birth Justice Care Fund!

 

FEATURED NEW RESEARCH

Social and Structural Determinants of Health Inequities in Maternal Health, Journal of Women’s Health, February 2, 2021

“The Ripping Apart of Silence”: Sonic Patriarchy and Anti-Abortion Harassment, Resonance: The Journal of Sound and Culture, December 1, 2020

The “Covid-19 and Reproduction” Digest has recently been updated with new research.

For those who missed it, the digital launch event of Patricia Hamilton's new book, Black Mothers and Attachment Parenting: A Black Feminist Analysis of Intensive Mothering in Britain and Canada, is now available online

NEWS ITEMS
Campus/Local

 

Working moms are bearing brunt of COVID quarantines, and we've got to support them, Nola.com, February 21, 2021

New Orleans Native Nicole Deggins named The Midwife Shifting the Narrative, Essence Magazine, February 3, 2021

 
National and International


A Twitter Thread about Race and Reproduction in America, Dr. Shannon Withycombe, February 26, 2021

Indian Court Clears Journalist of Defamation Claim in #MeToo Case, The New York Times, February 17, 2021

South Carolina House passes bill banning most abortions, ABC News, February 17, 2021

Promotions for Female Generals Were Delayed Over Fears of Trump’s Reaction, The New York Times, February 17, 2021

Student debt is driving more Americans to donate their eggs — and some suffer lasting complications, Salon, February 15, 2021

The Sex Adviser Will See You Now. On Instagram., The New York Times, February 13, 2021

Tennessee Lawmakers Introduce Bill To Allow Fathers To Veto Abortions, HuffPost, February 11, 2021

The Radically Simple New Approach to Helping Families: Send Parents Money, The New York Times, February 9, 2021

A new administration still leaves Southern abortion funders with political and cultural barriers, Scalawag Magazine, February 8, 2021

Black maternal health is in crisis. Here’s how lawmakers hope the ‘Momnibus’ package will help., The Lily, February 8, 2021

Center Cheers Reintroduction of the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act in U.S. Congress, Center for Reproductive Rights, February 8, 2021

Before the Capitol Attack, There Were the Abortion Wars, Slate, February 4, 2021

‘Period poverty’ is not just in developing countries: It affects U.S. college women, too, Fast Company, February 4, 2021

The Coronavirus Vaccine Presents a Dilemma for Pregnant Women, The New Yorker, February 1, 2021

Emergency Contraception Is Having Its Moment, Rewire News Group, February 1, 2021

Respect New Mexico Women And Families Act Passes House Judiciary Committee With Majority Support, LA Daily Post, February 1, 2021

The Women’s Health Movement and the Dream of the Diaphragm, nursingclio.org, January 31, 2021

What Repealing the Hyde Amendment Would Mean for Abortion Activists, Teen Vogue, January 28, 2021

EVENTS
Campus/Local
 

Sex Week
Tulane University
March 1-5, 2021

 



Virtual Open House Introducing Syphilis Treatment at PPGC
Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast
1 - 2pm CST, March 4, 2021

Zoom link will be provided upon registration.
 



Women Making Waves
Tulane University
March 2 - 3, 2021

 



Storytelling Speakout
Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast
6:30 - 7:30pm CST, March 8, 2021

 



NOAF Craft-a-Thon
New Orleans Abortion Fund
March 1 - April 29, 2021

 

Upcoming National/Regional

Register Here
Center for Justice and Law, Hamline University
10:00am - 2:30pm CST April 30, 2021
Click here to visit the Perceptions of Pregnancy website.

2021 Reproductive Freedom Lobby Day
UnRestrict Minnesota
10am - 6:30pm CST, March 12, 2021

Black Maternal Health Virtual Conference 
April 16 - 17, 2021

Registration now open! Founded and led by the Black Mamas Matter Alliance (BMMA), the Black Maternal Health Conference (BMHC) is the premiere assembly for Black women, clinicians, professionals, advocates, and other stakeholders working to improve maternal health using the birth justice, reproductive justice, and human rights frameworks. This year’s virtual conference will offer a national space for learning, rich discussions, and mobilization to transform Black maternal health, rights, and justice. We need a place to be in community together, to vision and dream, and to celebrate each other.

See all events on the Tulane Reproductive Justice Calendar. This calendar is maintained by Kelsey Lain (Tulane School of Liberal Arts ‘23), so please email her your event information at klain@tulane.edu
JOBS AND INTERNSHIPS
 
JOIN YOUR SCHOOL’S STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS
Students United for Reproductive Justice, Newcomb Institute, Tulane University undergraduates
Students for Sexual Health Equity, Tulane University School of Public Health
Social Workers United for Reproductive Freedom, Tulane University School of Social Work
Medical Students for Choice, Tulane University Medical School
If/When/How, Tulane University Law School
Newcomb’s reproductive rights/health/justice-related activities are supported by the Donna and Richard Esteves Fund for Reproductive Rights and Reproductive Health. Read about what our Reproductive Rights and Reproductive Health Interns are up to!






This email was sent to <<Email Address>>
why did I get this?    unsubscribe from this list    update subscription preferences
Newcomb Institute of Tulane University · 43 Newcomb Place, Suite 301 · New Orleans, LA 70118-5558 · USA