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You've Got To Have Faith!
Building A Movement for Reproductive Justice

From left: Carlton Veazey, Jessica Gonzales-Rojas, Sammie Moshenberg, Toni Bond Leonard, Loretta Ross

The Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice and National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW) co-hosted a briefing for congressional staff March 17 titled "You've Got to Have Faith: Building a Movement for Reproductive Justice.'

With so much media attention on the Obama administration's emphasis on faith in public policy, the topic was timely and we drew a large crowd that included representatives from organizations that oppose RCRC positions, including the Catholic bishops' council and Concerned Women for America, and at least two active members of Congress's pro-life caucus (Chris Smith of New Jersey and Mark Souder of Indiana). We collaborated with three Congressional leaders on the briefing: Representatives Janice Schakowsky (D-IL), Diana DeGette (D-CO) and Louise Slaughter (D-NY).

Sammie Moshenberg, the director of Washington Operations for NCJW and a member of the RCRC Council of Governors, moderated the program and made an eloquent presentation about the religious values underlying our work for reproductive justice. The main message of the briefing was that faith communities comprising millions of Americans are committed to advancing reproductive justice. Poverty, oppression, language barriers, stereotyping, immigration status and prejudice are among the many barriers to women's and girls' social, political, and economic equality. In overcoming these challenges, women must be respected as moral decision-makers in their own lives. The unique intersection and partnership between the reproductive justice movement and communities of faith continues to bring about social change in the pursuit of reproductive justice for all. 

In his presentation, Reverend Veazey emphasized that respect for differing views and values is essential in a democracy. "I don't believe that people should make me practice what they preach," he said. From his perspective as a minister, reproductive justice involves ministering to the whole person, helping a woman with issues of relationships, education, jobs, and other daily struggles, not just at the moment of a crisis pregnancy. He predicted there will be an increase in unintended pregnancy associated with the economic downturn if we do not provide adequate family planning services and this, too, is a matter of reproductive justice.

The reproductive justice movement got its start with women of color groups. A pioneer in the movement, Loretta Ross of SisterSong, said the movement has adopted a human rights framework that enables pro-choice and pro-life women of color to work together for common goals. A human rights framework, she said, allows us to move beyond the seemingly endless conflict over abortion and bring both sides together to seek ways to improve the lives of women and families. RCRC's MultiCultural Programs Department participates in SisterSong, a coalition of women of color groups.

Another long-time RCRC partner, Toni Bond Leonard of Black Women for Reproductive Justice, stressed the importance of working with the Black Church. "The reproductive justice movement is not complete without the faith community," she said. But she also criticized the church for sometimes being a source of misinformation about sexuality. She said that denying access to reproductive health information and services is a form of religious oppression directed at women.

The final speaker, Jessica Gonzales-Rojas of the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health, presented statistics showing Latinas are of many faiths, but 70% identify as Catholic. Many may be "culturally" Catholic, as opposed to religiously Catholic. Illustrating a cultural approach to reproductive health, she discussed the Institute's "Good Catholics Use Condoms" ads that were run in December in New York City and developed with Catholics for Choice. 

The briefing was co-sponsored by a host of organizations: Advocates for Youth, American Society for Reproductive Medicine, Black Women's Health Imperative, Catholics for Choice, Center for Reproductive Rights, Jewish Women International, National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum, National Council of Jewish Women, National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health, Planned Parenthood Federation of America Clergy Advisory Board, Religious Institute on Sexual Morality, Justice and Healing, SisterSong, Union for Reform Judaism, Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations, United Church of Christ Justice and Witness Ministries, United Methodist Church General Board of Church & Society, and Women of Reform Judaism.

See more photos of the briefing on our Facebook page!