Contraceptive Equity
Family planning services are deeply connected to the long history of reproductive oppression in the United States. From slavery, where Black women’s bodies were exploited through forced childbearing and rape, to the eugenics movement that aimed to control marginalized populations, the legacy of reproductive control is rooted in systemic inequity. This continued through harmful practices like forced sterilizations, which disproportionately targeted women of color, low-income women, immigrant women, women with disabilities, and incarcerated women.
Achieving true reproductive justice means confronting these historical inequities through an intersectional lens that addresses systemic barriers to reproductive health services and the right to bodily autonomy. Access to contraception has brought significant benefits to women’s health worldwide, reducing unintended pregnancies, high-risk pregnancies, and maternal and infant deaths. For Black women, girls, and gender-expansive individuals, contraception plays a vital role in enhancing personal health, economic stability, and educational outcomes.
However, reproductive oppression persists, particularly for Black women, girls, and gender-expansive individuals, who continue to face provider bias, coercion in contraceptive choices, and limited access to a full range of contraceptive options. Bias, stigma, and discrimination still impact those seeking family planning services.
To advance contraceptive equity, policies must be intersectional, addressing both access barriers and the coercion experienced by marginalized groups. Reproductive justice can only be achieved through an overhaul of policies that center the needs of women, girls, and gender-expansive individuals, ensuring that comprehensive, quality healthcare is a fundamental right for all.
Key Policy Recommendations to Increase Equity in Contraception Access
- Increase federal funding for the Title X program to expand access to pregnancy, STI, and HIV testing and other sexual and reproductive health services
- Fund programs that combat anti-Black racism and expand diversity and cultural competency training for health care professionals
- Provide prescription contraceptives at no cost and reimburse for contraceptive counseling
