(FEM1e) Feminist Sociology V: Reproductive Labour and Futures

This session brings together papers which explore diverse feminist perspectives on reproductive futures and reproductive labour, and the value of feminist methodological and grassroot interventions in the field of reproductive labour. Tags: Equality and Inequality, Feminism

Organizers: Sonia D'Angelo, York University, Linda Christiansen-Ruffman, Saint Mary’s University, Ronnie Joy Leah, Athabasca University; Chairs: Ronnie Joy Leah, Athabasca University, Sonia D'Angelo, York University

Presentations

Zahra Fahimi, University of Windsor

Navigating the Feminist Discourse: Exploring Surrogacy's Impact on Women's Lives

Surrogacy, the practice in which women designate others to carry and give birth on their behalf, has witnessed a surge in popularity since its emergence (Claire Fenton-Glynn, 2019). The phenomenon has gained traction in various countries, with notable prevalence in nations such as the UK, India, and Ukraine, as indicated by my research findings. As surrogacy becomes increasingly prevalent, the focal point shifts towards understanding its far-reaching impacts on diverse aspects of womens lives, encompassing considerations of gender, sexuality, class, and ability (Rudrappa, 2015). This complex landscape is further complicated by the varied stances within feminist circles regarding reproductive practices, revealing a schism in perspectives. Some feminists endorse fertility control methods, while others vehemently disagree, especially in the realm of infertility treatments (Berend, 2020). Against this backdrop, this research aims to delve into the nuanced feminist debates surrounding surrogacy, examining the divergent viewpoints and dissecting the implications for women across different social dimensions. The ensuing exploration will navigate through the existing literature on feminist perspectives surrounding surrogacy, laying the groundwork for a comprehensive investigation. The research question poised to guide this inquiry will emerge organically from this review, seeking to contribute nuanced insights and foster a deeper understanding of the multifaceted implications of surrogacy on womens lives within the intricate tapestry of gender dynamics, sexual identity, class structures, and considerations of ability.

Robyn Lee, University of Alberta

Climate Change and Reproductive Futures

Concerns about climate change are frequently cited in decisions not to have children (Dillarstone, Brown, and Flores 2023). Many people are worried that it is unethical and unsustainable to bring children into a world that is on a path to environmental devastation. Such fears crystallized in the Birth Strike movement, founded in the UK in 2019 and ended in September 2020, in which participants refused to have children as a form of protest against climate change. Climate change is known to have serious adverse effects on reproduction: increased temperatures and extreme heat events have been linked to harms to reproductive health (Barreca, Deschenes, and Guldi 2018). Increased wildfires and displacement due to erratic weather events disproportionately impact the health of vulnerable populations, including women, pregnant people, and young children (Segal and Giudice 2022). Racialized and poor people, and people living in developing countries, are especially affected by the health effects of climate change. Donna Haraway has called for dramatically curtailing birth rates in order to reduce environmental damage (Clarke and Haraway 2018; Haraway 2016). She argues for replacing pro-natalism with a focus on expanding kin relationships, with kinship understood not as rooted in biological relatedness, but rather extending across differences and species. Haraway and Adele Clarke’s edited collection Making Kin Not Population (Clarke and Haraway 2018) wrestled with the concept of population, which has often been the grounds for coercive control over the reproduction of marginalized populations. Critics of Haraway draw a parallel with Malthusian arguments for limiting population growth in order to reduce demands on natural resources; such eugenicist arguments have historically motivated forced sterilization policies towards racialized people and those living in poverty. However, Haraway has a highly critical understanding of the racist and colonialist histories underlying climate change; she therefore actually supports the reproduction of members of historically oppressed groups, even in the context of an overall reduction of birth rates. Notably, the Birth Strike movement argued that the climate crisis is being driven not by population numbers, but rather by exploitation and inequality. However, their message was repeatedly misconstrued through the lens of the population argument. Reproductive justice goes beyond frameworks of choice in analyzing the political, economic, and ecological contexts in which reproduction takes place (Ross and Solinger 2017). The reproductive justice movement, led by women of colour, addresses intersecting forms of oppression that impact reproduction. This paper uses a reproductive justice lens to critically analyze how reproductive capacities are impacted by climate change. Such an approach is necessary to avoid the individualistic framing of “is it ok to have a child?” (Meynell, Morgan, and van Ommen 2023), to instead recognize that reproductive futures are embedded in a complex social and political context shaped by historical inequalities. How do we understand the refusal to have children as an ethical and political act of protest? How can environmentally-aware kinship reckon with the racist histories associated with the concept of population?