New Orleans: Advocating for reproductive justice and public health in an epicenter of disparities

Louisiana has some of the poorest health outcomes and most restrictive public health policies in the nation.  These factors contribute to a particularly hostile and stigmatizing landscape for low income women seeking reproductive health services and resources. In the South, current laws and high levels of economic disparity result in higher burdens for people of color and members of the LGTBQ community who are in need of accessible and appropriate sexual health information and services. In this environment, there is a heightened need for integrated approaches to address the reproductive lives of women in the context of their lived experiences, their social circumstances, and their economic realities.  Addressing these issues in post-disaster New Orleans demands more meaningful engagement between public health practitioners, policymakers, community members, advocates, and other stakeholders who support reproductive justice.