The 2024 Community Justice Challenge Week One Recap: Bodily Autonomy

Week One of the 2024 Community Justice Challenge presented our community with unique learning experiences around the topic of bodily autonomy. As one of our most fundamental human rights, it’s important that we not only understand what bodily autonomy is but also learn to recognize its violation – especially at a time when these rights are being challenged so openly. Here's how you can support the work of local South Florida organizations working hard to address these issues:

• Support the efforts of Floridians Protecting Freedom, a group of organizations and citizens that seek the passage of a proposal on the November ballot that would explicitly block the implementation of laws that prohibit, delay, or restrict abortion access.

• Donate or volunteer at a Period Packing Party hosted by The Beauty Initiative, which provides hygiene products and hygiene education to South Florida women, children and men. Follow them on social media or sign up for the email newsletter.

• Learn about and support the work of TransSocial, which advocates for the transgender community and offers legal, medical, mental health, and other affirming services to the TLGBQ+ community.

• Join Center for Black Innovation for their Women’s Healing, Inside Out Health Week 2024 series. All week they’re hosting empowering seminars and workshops that support women in protecting their bodies and health.

• Discover how to reach out to voters already in your network to protect abortion rights with the ACLU Florida at their Yes On 4 Super Saturday event on May 18th.

Thank you to all who joined us for difficult, honest and inclusive conversations as we learned this week about how the bodies of people from marginalized communities are restricted, policed and violated.

Day One: Medical Abuse and Informed Consent

We kicked the challenge off with a historical exploration of how systemic racism and sexism have empowered some medical professionals to disregard their patients' bodily autonomy. Through videos, podcasts and articles, we dove deep into how this medical malpractice has particularly affected women and people of color. Our session covered the long-lasting effects of mass sterilization of Native American women, the disproportionate maternal mortality rates faced by Black women, an exploration of medical ethics and the infamous Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment.

Medical Abuse and Informed Consent Resources:

• A 1970 Law Led to the Mass Sterilization of Native American Women. That History Still Matters. (Article)

• The Maternal Mortality Crisis and Why it Remains an Issue (Podcast)

• Henrietta Lacks: The 'immortal' cells that changed the world (Video)

• The Tuskegee Experiment: Crash Course American History #29 (Video) 

Day Two: Race and Anti-fatness

On day two, we explored the ways weight stigma allows others to police our bodies. For example, did you know that patients with height weights received fewer referrals to specialists, experienced shorter appointments and had less comprehensive medical exams? This was just one of the revelations our community gained during our collective studies on the topic.

Race and Anti-fatness Resources:

• Ask a Fat Girl: Fatphobia and Racism (Article)

• Da'Shaun Harrison on How to Achieve Systemic Equality (Video)

• Sabrina Strings Explains How 'Fatphobia' is Rooted in Racism (Video)

• The Unique Experience of Navigating Fatphobia Within the AAPI Community (Article)

Day Three: Abortion Access

Despite what politicians cry, abortion rights are an intensely complex issue. All across the country, legislation is being passed that would infringe on women’s reproductive rights. Together, our community united to educate ourselves on the truth behind freedom of choice – that these constricting laws stand to severely limit our community’s education, economic and career opportunities.

Abortion Access Resources:

• Florida's 6-week abortion ban is now in effect, curbing access across the South (Audio)

• 48 Hours in A Kansas Abortion Clinic (Video)

• Disabled People Face Renewed Threats to Autonomy After Dobbs Decision (Article)

• Asian Americans do not have access to abortion information, survey finds (Article)

Day Four: Hair

Hair is a powerful tool for expression, providing people from all walks of life with a built-in accessory for telling their stories and embracing their culture. However, these expressions of personal identity are also the target of attacks. On day four of our challenge, we engaged in conversations about hair discrimination in the Black, Native and Muslim communities and acknowledged the challenges we face in fostering a culture where all styles are appreciated.

Hair Resources:

• This is the story of Black Hair (Video)

• My Son's Hair is Part of a Thousand-Year-Old Tribal Culture. His School Called it a 'Fad.' (Article)

• The hijab is not a symbol of gender oppression – but those who choose to wear it risk Islamophobia (Article)

• Miami Beach adopts ordinance banning hair discrimination (Article)

Day Five: Trans Healthcare

Gender-affirming care is more than a medical treatment for transgender and non-binary people. It is a fundamental aspect of realizing one’s authentic self. In recent times, these vital treatments have come under attack with increasing restrictions and misconceptions surrounding them. For the final day of week one, we explored groundbreaking studies, educated ourselves on legislation and heard empowering stories from members of the trans and non-binary community.

Trans Healthcare Resources:

• As a Nonbinary Latine, I Am My Own Wildest Dream (Article)

• Transgender adults in Florida are blindsided that a new law also limits their access to healthcare (Article)

• Groundbreaking Study Reveals Transgender Asian Pacific Islanders Face Significant Discrimination (Article)

• What's so scary about a transgender child? (Article)

Week Two Preview: Financial Empowerment

Are you enjoying the challenge so far? Help us spread the word to those in our community and encourage them to register before next week's conversations begin. Join us next week to explore how, despite years of progress, inequities persist and the racial, gender, and motherhood pay gaps continue to hold women back from reaching their full economic potential.