In working toward our ultimate goal of realizing reproductive justice, it is essential to address all aspects of the reproductive justice framework, not just those related to abortion access. SisterSong, a national women of color led reproductive justice organization, defines reproductive justice as “the human right to maintain personal bodily autonomy, have children, not have children, and parent the children we have in safe and sustainable communities” [1]. The principle of bodily autonomy, which affirms the right to make decisions about one’s own body without fear or threat of violence, is tied to transgender liberation [2]. Reproductive justice cannot be fully achieved without the leadership and inclusion of trans people and trans justice.

Traditional health care systems often discriminate against trans and nonbinary people, leading many to fear that they will be disrespected or judged because of their gender identities, sexual choices, or because their bodies may not conform to gender norms—and these fears are not unfounded [3]. In many cases, reproductive health clinics, when accessible, are the only option for seeking care. As attacks on both abortion care and gender-affirming care intensify, abortion providers are increasingly becoming providers of gender-affirming care. The closure of abortion clinics not only limits access to abortion, but also strips many patients of access to critical gender-affirming care [4].

Transgender people are impacted by the same anti-abortion laws, lawmakers, and Supreme Court decisions. Anti-abortion leaders and organizations spearheading efforts to restrict abortion access, such as the Heritage Foundation and Alliance Defending Freedom, are the same forces working to deny transgender people their right to bodily autonomy [4]. The decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which ended federal protections for abortion access, has significant implications for the current and future rights of transgender people. In Dobbs, the Supreme Court held that rights not “deeply rooted in the nation’s history and traditions” are not protected by the Constitution [5]. Just days after the Dobbs decision was issued, this rationale was already being used to attack transgender rights in Alabama. Officials argued that, like abortion, the rights of transgender people are not explicitly mentioned in the Constitution and that there is no a historical precedent for providing gender-affirming care [6].

These attacks will not end with efforts to gut gender-affirming care and abortion access. Many rights currently recognized under the Constitution such as access to birth control, same-sex marriage, and interracial marriage, are grounded in the principle of bodily autonomy and could be threatened using the same legal reasoning embraced by the Supreme Court. As reproductive justice advocates, we cannot allow our allies fighting for transgender liberation to stand alone. At the time of publication, over 886 anti-trans bills have been filed and 97 have already passed just this year [7]. This is not a distant threat—it is shaping the lived realities of trans people every single day. Both access to gender-affirming care and access to abortion are rights to determine one’s own future and to live authentically without government interference. That fundamental human right is one worth fighting for. These attacks against that right demand a unified, unapologetic movement rooted in bodily autonomy, self-determination, and collective liberation.

Sources

1. https://www.sistersong.net/reproductive-justice
2. https://borealisphilanthropy.org/2023/03/28/reproductive-justice-is-trans-justice-trans-justice-is-reproductive-justice/
3. https://transequality.org/resources/transgender-sexual-and-reproductive-health-unmet-needs-and-barriers-care
4. https://nwlc.org/resource/our-bodies-our-futures-connecting-abortion-rights-and-trans-and-intersex-rights/
5. https://newrepublic.com/article/178681/dobbs-ruling-war-trans-community
6. https://www.npr.org/2022/07/03/1109613520/alabama-abortion-rights-gender-affirming-care-law
7. https://translegislation.com/