Students for Reproductive Justice

Purpose

"At the heart of liberty is the right to define one's own concept of existence, of meaning, of the universe, and of the mystery of human life. Beliefs about these matters could not define the attributes of personhood were they formed under compulsion of the State... [T]he destiny of the woman must be shaped to a large extent on her own conception of her spiritual imperatives and her place in society." Excerpted from Planned Parenthood v. Casey, 505 U.S. 833 (1992).

The purpose of the Students for Reproductive Justice organization is to provide a safe space for students who agree with the Supreme Court that the right to privacy under the Fourteenth Amendment's Due Process Clause includes reproductive freedom. This involves educating members on the current law regarding reproductive justice and freedom, as well as providing members with tools to advocate on behalf of citizens who face undue burdens in accessing equitable reproductive healthcare in violation of Casey. Furthermore, Students for Reproductive Justice seeks to address the reality that, across the United States, women of color face significantly higher maternal mortality rates due to unequal access to proper reproductive healthcare. Finally, we believe that, as future lawyers, it is our duty to educate ourselves on how best to protect access for all people to proper sex education, family planning, and reproductive health services.

Section 1: The Students for Reproductive Justice will further the Pepperdine Caruso Law mission by advancing civic dialogue and civil discourse regarding the protected right to freedom of choice and control that each human has over their own body. This organization will additionally provide vital education on many of the major issues facing women, including inequitable access to health care for people of color, education on and access to family planning services, and the rampant and ongoing problem of gender-based violence.

Section 2: Some prospective programming includes discussions on the current state of Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey, fundraising events, panel discussions by licensed medical doctors on the important reproductive health issues described above, and panel discussions from lawyers on the role of lawyers in advocating for reproductive freedom.

Section 3: This organization is necessary at Pepperdine Caruso Law because no other student organizations exist with the same mission or scope. We alone will focus on the intersection between reproductive healthcare and the law.