A reproductive justice analysis of Black motherwork

Abstract

This paper examines how Black mothers have had each tenet of reproductive justice violated by state powers and institutions, how Black mothers have resisted these injustices, and how this struggle between reproductive oppression and resistance is critical to understanding the relevance of Black motherwork in intersectional theories in family science. I argue that applying a reproductive justice analysis to Black motherwork involves three key components: (a) the right to identify and engage with Black motherwork; (b) the right of empowerment to disengage (further) with Black motherwork; and (c) the right to perform Black motherwork in safe and survivable environments. This paper emphasizes that infringements on Black women's reproductive liberties happen beyond the site of the body. They expand into their homes, their neighborhoods, and even their educational spaces.