Politics of biotechnologies in the reproductive rights movement

Ethical, health and political considerations of new biotechnologies invite reproductive rights advocates to reassess their positions around privacy and individual autonomy. Many politicians and bioethicists are engaging in public debate by simply applying their positions on abortion, yet the pro-choice/pro-life framework is not expansive enough to encompass the complex issues presented by these technologies. At the same time that the moral status of the embryo and abortion politics have dominated public discussion, decision-makers have neglected to bring reproductive rights advocates to the table. To ensure that upcoming policy proposals reflect their concerns, reproductive rights advocates have recently begun to engage in discussion about these technologies, developing a new set of principles based on human rights and social justice. This presentation will cover current political discussions within the reproductive rights movement related to new biotechnologies and the importance of using a reproductive justice analysis to advance the health, well-being, and rights of women.