Why Reproductive Healthcare is More Than Just Abortion and How the Narrative is Changing
Image by: Sophie Ota/Planned Parenthood Action Fund. July 2017
My advocacy and allyship for LGBTQ rights started when my aunt revealed she identified as lesbian, also explaining what it meant to her and what it would mean for me as well. Fast forward to this year, my aunt and her wife decided they wanted to have a child and began looking into the process for IUI (Intrauterine Insemination), which is a very common pathway to parenthood for LGBTQ couples. As a I am a source of support for them, I was asked assist in the process by researching the pros and cons, and any other stipulations involved in the process. I soon realized they would have a difficult journey. The company culture surrounding same-sex couples health insurance highlighted the continued Othering of LQBTQ identities, as noted by The New York Times who did a story on the developing policies of employers.
https://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/09/health/09patient.html
The concept of the Other is ever-present in issues surrounding LGBTQ rights as advocacy groups and citizens engaged with the judicial to implement radical social change that is unprecedented. Similarly, in class discussions about Aijaz Ahmad’s work deconstructing and analyzing the theory of the Self and the Other helps us to understand the epistemic paradigms that influence how our society might respond to said social changes, such as laws that ensure the same policies exist for partners in same-sex marriages as they do for heterosexual partners in marriages.
While we have celebrated major achievements for the LGBTQ community in recent years, still there remains systemic injustices that harm members of that community. My aunt’s health insurance did not cover IUI, only IVF (In vitro fertilization) which is an option that addresses infertility or prevention of genetic abnormalities. This is a civil rights issue based on the unequal access to reproductive healthcare for Gay and Lesbian individuals seeking alternative pathways to parenthood, and the 14th Amendment that states procreation is a fundamental right. Additionally, the issue of infertility may need to be redefined as state mandates should cover all people who experience infertility—not just heterosexual individuals. This further emphasizes heteronormative ideology embedded in our social scripts and institutions allowing the rights of minority communities to be infringed upon. Starting the conversation is just the first step in addressing systemic injustice, next comes the long journey to right the wrongs…
Hi Kennedy,
I find this post to be very insightful as I am not educated on the topic matter. Your argument between the concept of the Other and its relation to members of the LGBTQ community is one that I support- members are treated like outcasts. Your addressing of the injustices surrounding the lack of insurance coverage for your aunt’s procedure tackles the assignment well. I find your mentioning of how state mandates should cover all individuals who experience infertility particularly interesting as I have never considered how they currently only apply to those in opposite-sex relationships.
Hi Kennedy,
I can see that this topic is very important for you and your family and believe that there is a lot of wrong that needs to be changed. With the first line of your Showcase you can clearly see how you know how everything is changing and with society constantly changing why are these issues still a part of everyday life. I learned a lot from your analysis and believe that you explained everything in the right way promoting change.