Bro-Choice? Where Do Men Fit in the Reproductive Justice Movement?
Session Type(s): Panel
Starts: Thursday, Jul. 17 9:00 AM (Eastern)
Ends: Thursday, Jul. 17 10:15 AM (Eastern)
Men have shown up as allies for women in politics since suffrage, but issues of reproductive, sexual, and family health continue to be seen as primarily the burden and responsibility of women. The limits of this frame have become glaringly apparent: the “war on women” frame leaves out the LGBTQ community, lacks a racial justice analysis, and most importantly, reifies outdated ideas about gender. It’s time to rethink our frame and engage men—not as allies, but as stakeholders, whose sexual health, bodily autonomy, and ability to form and care for their families is deeply impacted by the same systems of reproductive oppression.
Moderator
Raquel Ortega
Raquel Ortega is a queer Xicana from the Southwest dedicated to uplifting the voices of young people and others who have been historically disenfranchised. As a progressive activist she is deeply committed to empowering the next generation of young leaders through mentorship and cross movement building. She is currently at URGE: Unite for Reproductive and Gender Equity in Washington, DC where she works with young people across the country to organize around issues of reproductive justice on their campuses & in their communities.
Panelists
Travis Ballie
Travis is the Manager of Affiliate & National Programs at NARAL Pro-Choice America. He is responsible for providing support for NARAL’s 22 affiliates, chapter, & choice action team. Travis also runs NARAL’s DC Volunteer Program, as well as the Choice Out Loud – On Campus millennial engagement program. He is a graduate of American University (’10) with a Double B.A. In International Relations & International Business. Travis sits on the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund Campaign Board, an organization dedicated to electing pro-choice out Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender leaders. Travis is a New Yorker now living in Maryland who is training for a 2014 Antarctica marathon.
Other sessions: Fighting Fake Science: When the Right tries to Derail Your Movement with Misinformation
Renee Bracey Sherman
Renee Bracey Sherman, MPA is an award winning reproductive justice activist committed to the visibility of people who have had abortions. The author of Saying Abortion Aloud: Research and Recommendations for Public Abortion Storytellers and Organizations, she is a writer with Echoing Ida, a project of Forward Together that amplifies the voices of Black women around critical social justice issues. Bracey Sherman’s work on abortion storytelling has been featured on BBC, The Guardian, The Washington Post, EBONY, Salon, Fusion, TIME, and The Atlantic. In 2015, she was named one of Planned Parenthood’s 99 Dream Keepers in honor of Black History Month. Bracey Sherman is the Policy Representative at the National Network of Abortion Funds based in Washington, DC. She holds a Master’s degree in Public Administration from Cornell University and currently sits on the board of NARAL Pro-Choice America. Follow her on Twitter at @RBraceySherman.
Felipe Sousa-Rodriguez
Felipe is an advocate for undocumented immigrants and LGBTQ people in the US. He walked from Miami to Washington, DC to highlight the pain of undocumented immigrants. He has spent the last two years working at GetEQUAL, a national social justice LGBTQ organization. He has become a leading voice on the intersection of LGBTQ issues and immigrant rights. He is the current Deputy Managing Director of United We Dream (UWD).
Other sessions: Queer People of Color Caucus, From Underdog to Top Dog: Organizing for Impact While Small and Mighty, Fighting Fake Science: When the Right tries to Derail Your Movement with Misinformation
Kashif Syed
Kashif Syed is currently the Reproductive Justice Fellow (LSRJ) with Advocates For Youth where he is responsible for policy areas relating to young people’s confidential access to sexual and reproductive health services. In law school, Kashif focused on sex and gender equality under the law. He has previously worked on a variety of legal projects, including trans-inclusive housing & restroom policies in higher education, sex discrimination in intercollegiate athletics under Title IX, and sexual harassment in schools. As a student, he served as a volunteer domestic violence legal advocate. Prior to entering law school, Kashif staffed a Michigan state lawmaker’s office and volunteered as counselor/trainer at a crisis intervention center. Kashif earned his J.D. at the Chicago-Kent College of Law in 2013 and holds a B.A. in Political Science from Michigan State University.
Other sessions: Does God Love Women Who've Had Abortions?