Title I: Stratified Reproduction in the U.S.: Racial and Sexual Minority Issues
Bernadette V. Blanchfield, Ph.D. Pre-Candidate, Developmental Psychology, University of Virginia
Additional author: Charlotte J. Patterson, Professor of Psychology, Director, Women Gender & Sexuality Program
This talk presents two studies that compared rates at which women in the U.S. reported receiving medical help to become pregnant as a function of race and sexual orientation, using data from two cycles of the National Survey of Family Growth (2002 wave in Study 1; 2006-2010 wave in Study 2). Working within a framework of stratified reproduction, we investigated how income and insurance coverage disparities mediated differences in receipt of fertility assistance between groups. In both studies, heterosexual White women reported receiving assistance at double the rates of women who identified as non-White, sexual minority (i.e., lesbian or bisexual), or both. Insurance and income discrepancies accounted for all differences between sexual minority and heterosexual women’s receipt of pregnancy help in Study 1, but insurance coverage alone explained differences in Study 2. Mediation analyses indicated income and insurance coverage only partially explained differences between White and non-White groups. Although socioeconomic factors did not explain all differences based on racial group membership, the results indicate that lack of insurance coverage seems to limit access to reproductive healthcare among sexual minority women. Implications of these disparities are discussed.
Title II: “It’s not fair, but that’s the way the world works”: Pre-implantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD) for BRCA and Healthcare Neoliberalisms
Emily Breitkopf, M.A., Ph.D. Candidate, New School for Social Research
Additional authors:
Richard Knight, MA Candidate, New School for Social Research
Individuals with hereditary cancer risk due to a BRCA-mutation have a 50% chance that BRCA-related risk will be transmitted to their children. Reproductive concerns are often prominent among BRCA-mutation carriers. Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD) is a controversial ART that enables couples to select preferred embryos. In the U.S., PGD for BRCA is an available, albeit expensive, option for individuals/couples who can afford its use. This paper presents results from a qualitative study of 39 (x-female, X-male) reproductive-age BRCA-mutation carriers, highlighting participants’ attitudes and concerns about access to PGD for BRCA. Participants were predominantly White, affluent, and heterosexual. Analyzed through a post-structuralist discourse-analytic framework, we examine the discursive dilemmas participants face as they consider systems of stratification that make PGD available to some and not others. We trace converging discourses throughout the analysis and consider the implications of PGD within the U.S. neoliberal health-care context.
Title III: Reproductive Hierarchies: Transnational Reproduction and the Reification of Colonial Spaces
Presenter:
Professor Michele Goodwin, Chancellor's Chair
University of California, Irvine School of Law
Race exploitation and poverty are key, tolerated components of assisted reproductive technology (ART) domestically and abroad. According to a study conducted by the Center for Social Research in India, “[a]dvances in assisted reproductive techniques such as donor insemination and, embryo transfer methods, have revolutionized the reproductive environment, resulting in ‘surrogacy’, as the most desirable option.” Scholars and policy makers frequently observe that “[t]he system of surrogacy has given hope to many infertile couples, who long to have a child of their own” and has expanded reproductive options for gay men, lesbian women, and single persons intending to parent. However, the attention to the advancements in reproductive technologies and the communities they benefit may obscure externalities worth studying. Desperately missing from ART scholarship are more nuanced analytics that feature race and sex in international surrogacy, particularly its commodification of racialized bodies. This project takes up that issue.
This invited symposium presents three mixed-method empirical studies examining incarcerated women’s experiences within the criminal justice system. We will explore women’s pathways to incarceration, mental health outcomes associated with a trauma-informed, gender-specific curriculum for women serving life sentences, and feminist principles in mentoring relationships among community and incarcerated women.
Presentation I. Exploring Women’s Pathways to the Criminal Justice System
Shannon Lynch, Ph.D., Idaho State University, Dana DeHart, PhD, University of South Carolina, Joanne Belknap, Ph.D., Chris DeCou, BS, Idaho State University
In response to increasing rates of incarceration of women, researchers have studied gender differences in pathways to the justice system. In particular, women and girls report more experiences of intimate interpersonal violence and greater mental health difficulties than male offenders. Women are also more likely to describe use of substances associated with their offenses. As part of a mixed-methods, multisite study of women’s pathways to jail, a subset (N=115) of participants from a sample of 491 randomly selected women in jails in four regions of the U.S. completed extensive life history calendar interviews. Our multi-disciplinary research team reviewed these in-depth interviews and created case summaries highlighting onset and extent of interpersonal violence and adversity, types of perpetrator(s), onset and extent of substance use, path into criminal offending, and onset and extent of mental health concerns. We will use these profile summaries to explore intersections of trauma, mental health and substance use in the women’s narratives, to elucidate potential targets for prevention and intervention, and to identify common paths to the justice system. These findings have the potential to inform the development and implementation of prevention efforts with at-risk community populations and gender responsive programming within the corrections system.
Presentation II. “I’m Learning How to Live”: Short term and Follow-up Outcomes of a New Intervention with Incarcerated Women with Life Sentences
Gina Fedock, MSW, Doctoral Candidate
Michigan State University
Incarcerated women with life sentences are a small, but growing sub-population of adults in prison. Strikingly, women with life sentences are often excluded from treatment programming within prisons, given that such programming is reserved for women with shorter sentences or those preparing for re-entry into the community. They have not even been considered a target population for intervention, as they are rarely, if ever, included in samples for new intervention development and testing. This study examines mental health outcomes for a pilot of a new trauma-informed and gender-specific intervention entitled Beyond Violence with a sample of 26 incarcerated women with life sentences in a state prison. Surveys including measures of depression, anxiety, PTSD, serious mental illness, and forms of anger expression were administered at pre-intervention, post-intervention, and three months following completion. Focus groups occurred with the groups at post-intervention, and individual semi-structured interviews were conducted at the follow-up time point. Results will be shared in regards to the changes in mental health and anger measures over time, as well as the themes of the focus groups and interviews. Lastly, a discussion of future practice and research implications for work focused on incarcerated women with life sentences will be included.
Presentation III. Growth-fostering Relationships and Transforming Self-perceptions: Feminist Principles in the Mentoring of Women in Prison and Beyond
Dawn M. Salgado, PhD
Pacific University
Previous research examining women’s services and programming while incarcerated have generally been found to be underfunded, inadequate, or inconsistent with empirically-based needs of the population. As new interventions rely on incorporating strength-based, gender-responsive, and restorative justice approaches into their programmatic structure and theory, there is a growing body of evidence suggesting interventions for incarcerated women can be effective at increasing health and well-being, creating opportunities for successful reintegration, and interrupting the cycle of re-incarceration. The current mixed method study examines experiences of community mentors and incarcerated women (N = 29) as they discuss relational and programmatic features associated with their involvement. Results will highlight feminist-based practices and principles typified in these relationships focusing on connection and similarities, empathy and acceptance, and empowerment and effectiveness. In addition, the presentation will discuss incarcerated women’s transformative experiences and the ability of the program to provide a seamless set of services, beginning in prison and extending after release. This information is directly applicable to the development and implementation of cost-effective strategies to holistically serve incarcerated women.
Where do black women activists fit into the epochal struggles for equality and liberation during the 1960s and ‘70s? This feature-length documentary unearths the story of black women’s political marginalization—between the male-dominated Black Power movement and second wave feminism, which was largely white and middle class—showing how each failed to recognize black women’s overlapping racial and gender identities.
Women Make Movies (c)Through a series of captivating class discussions, headed by students from Grinnell College, a small group of female inmates at a maximum women’s security prison in Mitchellville, Iowa, share their diverse experiences with motherhood, drug addiction, sexual abuse, murder, and life in prison. The women, along with their teachers, explore the "grey area" that is often invisible within the prison walls and delve into issues of race, class, sexuality and gender.
Women Make Movies (c)LIVING THINKERS: AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF BLACK WOMEN IN THE IVORY TOWER examines the intersection of race, class and gender for Black women professors and administrators working in U.S. colleges and universities today. Through their diverse narratives, from girlhood to the present, Black women from different disciplines share experiences that have shaped them, including segregated schooling as children, and the trials, disappointments and triumphs encountered in Academia.
Women Make Movies (c)Structured as a personal journey of rediscovery by filmmaker Jennifer Lee, this documentary brings the momentous first decade of second-wave feminism vividly to life. A wealth of period footage captures landmark events and the pivotal roles of NOW, the Equal Employment Opportunities Commission (EEOC), the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), Redstockings, and other organizations. Thirty-five diverse interviewees, including rank-and-file activists along with well-known feminists Betty Friedan, Florence Beale, Gloria Steinem, Robin Morgan, Ti-Grace Atkinson, and others, share memories of the period as well as issues and challenges that still resonate today.
Women Make Movies (c)Janetta Louise Johnson … is the Program Director at TGI Justice Project. TGI Justice Project is a group of transgender people—inside and outside of prison—creating a united family in the struggle for survival and freedom. Janetta Louise Johnson is an Afro-American Transsexual from Tampa, Florida. She moved to San Francisco in 1997, where she has worked in various capacities at non-profits and social service agencies. She recently survived 3 years in federal prison and is committed to developing strategies and interventions to reduce the recidivism rate of the transgender community.
Sonya Shah … is the Justice Program Director at Insight Prison Project and responsible for the oversight of the Victim Offender Education Group (VOEG) program statewide and nationally. She serves on the leadership team for Californians for Safety and Justice. Sonya has served on the advisory board for Restorative Justice for Oakland Youth and the board of trustees for the California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS), where she is an Associate Professor. Sonya is actively immersed in seeding restorative justice practices locally and nationally and ending the charity based model of working in communities Sonya has been teaching social justice education for 20 years. In all group facilitation, Sonya creates learning environments that: reflect values of equity; nurture the unique perspective of each participant; build collective and community-based knowledge; challenge oppressive assumptions and structures; and expose students to new ways of thinking through contact with new knowledge, belief systems, theories and practices. Sonya was awarded the prestigious Fulbright fellowship and Jacob Javitz fellowship.
Gary “Malachi” Scott … paroled after 15 years of incarceration for second-degree murder. He was tried as an adult at the age of 15 and sentenced to 15 years to life. While incarcerated he was involved with Restorative Justice in various capacities, from participation, trainings, stewardship, and co-founded San Quentin Kid C.A.T. (Creating Awareness Together) who’s curriculum is driven by restorative practices. He was the Sports Editor for the San Quentin Newspaper and published a New York Times article titled, "Prison is to Violent for Young Offenders." “Malachi” currently does youth outreach for west side clinic and also leads healing circles and peace and justice community walks in North Oakland.
PRIVATE VIOLENCE explores a simple but deeply disturbing fact of American life: the most dangerous place for a woman in America is her own home. Every day in the U.S., at least four women are murdered by abusive (and often, ex) partners. Through the eyes of two survivors—Deanna Walters, a mother who seeks justice for the crimes committed against her at the hands of her estranged husband, and Kit Gruelle, an advocate who seeks justice for all women—we bear witness to the complex realities of intimate partner violence. Their experiences challenge entrenched and misleading assumptions, providing a lens into a world that is largely invisible; a world we have locked behind closed doors with our silence, our laws and our lack of understanding.
Restorative Justice is quickly emerging as a desired set of principles and practices to mediate conflict, strengthen community, and repair harm in multiple contexts. It is currently practiced in schools, community groups, and along the entire continuum of the justice process, whether as an alternative to incarceration, education program in prisons or for re-entry. It is used by social workers, students, justice advocates, professors, school teachers, psychologists, community activists, and others in the U.S. and around the globe, most notably in South Africa and New Zealand. This session is a continuation of the morning keynote panel. In the first half of the session, Sonya Shah will offer a deeper overview of restorative justice — its history, current applications and evidence-based successes and continue to explore the most critical questions emerging in the field of restorative justice. In the second part of this session, Gary Malachi Scott will engage the group in a circle process — utilizing the heart of a restorative justice practices.
Maestra
A film by Catherine Murphy – 1:05pm
Narrated by Alice Walker, Maestra (Spanish for teacher) explores the experiences of nine women who, as young girls, helped eradicate Cuban illiteracy within one year. Interweaving recent interviews, archival footage, and Campaign photos, this lively documentary includes one of the first Cubans of her generation to call herself a feminist and one of the first openly proud members of Cuba’s LGBT community. With wit and spirit, all recall negotiating for autonomy and independence in a culture still bound by patriarchal structures.
SLAYING THE DRAGON: RELOADED
A film by Elaine Kim– 1:35pm
SLAYING THE DRAGON: RELOADED is a 30-minute sequel to SLAYING THE DRAGON. RELOADED looks at the past 25 years of representation of Asian and Asian American women in U.S. visual media — from blockbuster films and network television to Asian American cinema and YouTube — to explore what’s changed, what’s been recycled, and what we can hope for in the future.
"A crippled politics of access and engagement …. yearning for an “elsewhen” - in which disability is understood ….. as political, as valuable as integral. (Kafer presents) … a hybrid political/relational model …..mak(ing) room for people to acknowledge – even mourn – a change in form or function while also acknowledging that those changes can not be understood apart from the context in which they occur. …. allow(ing) for important questions about healthcare and social justice (Kafer, 2013, pp. 3-6)." In this workshop we will talk about relational, political, existential, & practical issues clients face living with physical disabilities & chronic illnesses. We will explore how the above quote from Kafer challenges those with and without disabilities to engage this issue. Presenter will encourage participants to draw on their wisdom in this discussion. Reference: Kafer, A. (2013). Feminist, queer, crip. Indiana University Press.
As political conflict and change sweep the Arab world, CASABLANCA CALLING highlights a quiet social revolution under way in Morocco, where 60% of the women have never attended school. For the first time, Moroccan women are trained and employed as official Muslim leaders or morchidat. Charged with teaching an Islam based on tolerance, compassion and equity, they provide vital support and guidance to communities, especially to girls and women
There is a group of people in the world today who are more persecuted than anyone else, but they are not political or religious activists. They are girls. Being born a girl means you are more likely to be subjected to violence, disease, poverty and disadvantage than any other group on Earth.
The mission of ABD Productions/Anne Bluethenthal & Dancers is to inspire social change through the arts. Based in San Francisco, our women- and queer-centered multi-ethnic company is committed to the production of new dance works created in collaboration with diverse communities. Our dances grow from deep investigations into the language of movement, using that vocabulary in eloquent, bold, and subversive acts of art. We endeavor to awaken our collective humanity by injecting the possibility of transformation and beauty into complex and challenging subjects, from globalization and genocide to global warming and gender fluidity.
ABD has a long history of Community Arts Practice, Community partnership, and art-making that arises from communities of spirit. In addition to the formal performances, festivals, concerts, artistic collaborations, and benefit performances, ABD has consistently combined their artistic work with community partnerships around issues of social justice and global politics. Bluethenthal's community arts projects ranged widely and include work with:
Borrowing from words by Celeste Miller and Arlene Goldbard, we believe that Community Arts Practice is based on the understanding that cultural meaning, expression, and creativity reside within a community and that the artist is an integral part of community life.
(http://www.abdproductions.org/)