On October 12, 2022, Premilla Nadasen, professor of history, published new research in Women's Studies Quarterly (WSQ), titled “Dobbs and the Politics of Reproduction.” The article examines the implications of the Supreme Court’s landmark Dobbs ruling since overturning Roe v. Wade after 50 years is likely to impact the feminist political struggle and the field of women’s, gender, and sexuality studies (WGSS) in a multitude of ways.
Nadasen argues that reproductive justice is broader than the legal right to abortion; it is a framework that incorporates sexual autonomy, support for mothers and children, and the freedom to terminate a pregnancy. Suppressing reproductive rights will negatively affect poor and working-class families, particularly families of color, who have disproportionately struggled with a rising care crisis exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. In creating a system of forced biological reproduction and unpaid care work, the Dobbs decision threatens women’s success in the labor market and families' economic security.