- Office of the Attorney General
Media Contact
Molly McGlynn, Deputy Communications Director
Springfield — Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell and her Reproductive Justice Unit convened more than 120 experts in the reproductive justice field, including community organizations, health care providers, legal advocates and academics, yesterday at Western New England University School of Law in Springfield.
The convening facilitated discussions between the AG’s Office and legal and reproductive care experts to inform how the Office can better champion reproductive justice for all on a local, state and national level particularly in the face of national efforts to roll back these rights.
The convening concluded with a fireside chat between AG Campbell and Loretta Ross, a nationally renowned reproductive justice activist and professor at Smith College in Northampton. In 1994, Ross co-created the theory and framework of reproductive justice which includes the right to have a child, the right not to have a child, and the right to parent children in a safe and healthy environment – all core tenets of AG Campbell’s Reproductive Justice Unit.
During an era of unprecedented national attacks on reproductive care, AG Campbell has continued to ensure Massachusetts remains a beacon for reproductive justice. As one of her first actions in office, AG Campbell, in collaboration with allied stakeholders, announced the creation of the Abortion Legal Hotline, (833) 309-6301, a free and confidential hotline that assists Massachusetts healthcare providers and patients by providing legal advice related to abortion access and care.
She has filed amicus briefs with the Supreme Court of the United States to protect access to medication abortion and emergency abortion care, fought to defend access to gender affirming care on behalf of trans youth, led efforts to fully implement and operationalize the state’s nation leading shield law and leveraged the tools of the Office to address the maternal health crisis, including by launching and distributing a $1.5 million maternal health equity grant.
“As bodily autonomy is under relentless attack nationwide, Massachusetts is doubling down on its efforts to champion, defend and expand access to sexual and reproductive health care,” said AG Campbell. “In my office, we are doing this work with a hands-on and expert-led approach and I’m grateful to those who joined us today to help inform our efforts. And to help ensure that people in Massachusetts know their rights in the confusing and evolving post-Dobbs world, I am glad to release new resources to help people navigate common issues associated with reproductive care.”
“True reproductive justice is all-encompassing and accounts for liberties such as the right to have or not have a child, along with the opportunity to raise children in environments where they can thrive,” said Professor Loretta Ross, Reproductive Justice Movement Co-Founder and Activist. “Attorney General Campbell is one of few leaders nationwide to use a truly comprehensive and expert-based approach to championing reproductive justice, and it is my deep honor to support her in this work.”
“Access to reproductive care, including gender-affirming care, is being threatened nationwide, risking the wellbeing of communities in need, including communities in Western Massachusetts, which have historically been underserved in this space,” said Judge Dina E. Fein of Western New England Law School. “We are honored to host AG Campbell and her team, along with numerous legal and reproductive care experts, for a much needed and timely convening on protecting and advancing reproductive justice for all.”
AG Campbell and Loretta Ross discussed the history of the reproductive justice movement, examined the state of reproductive care access and government’s role in sustaining long-term systemic change while also celebrating the progress in this space over recent years.
Before the convening, AG Campbell toured Seven Sisters Midwifery and Community Birthing Center in Florence. Established in 2020, Seven Sisters is the only midwife-owned and operated independent birth center in the Commonwealth. Seven Sisters houses prenatal support groups, a doula program, pelvic floor physical therapy, lactation support, postpartum support, as well as a licensed clinical social worker who is an expert in perinatal and postpartum care.
“Maternal health and reproductive justice go hand-in-hand, as both are essential to a birthing person’s health and wellbeing,” said Ginny Miller, Co-Founder and Certified Nurse Midwife at Seven Sisters. “Seven Sisters was pleased to welcome AG Campbell and her Reproductive Justice Unit today to discuss existing gaps in access to reproductive care and the many ways the AG’s Office can address this reality.”
AG Campbell has also today released four new Know Your Rights documents focused on abortion, gender affirming care, contraception and the state shield law. These guides are intended to provide the public a high-level overview of the laws associated with reproductive care, as well as resources to help navigate issues associated with these various kinds of care:
- Know Your Rights Abortion
- Know Your Rights Gender Affirming Care
- Know Your Rights Contraception
- Know Your Rights Shield Law
- Know Your Rights Anti Abortion Clinics
AG Campbell’s Reproductive Justice Unit, under the leadership of Director Sapna Khatri, is focused on expanding and protecting access to reproductive and gender affirming care, addressing disparities in maternal health, tackling misinformation and disinformation that prevents access to care, working across state lines to respond to national attacks on reproductive health care, and championing and defending Massachusetts’ strong legal protections for reproductive rights. More information on the Reproductive Justice Unit is available here: https://www.mass.gov/reproductive-justice-unit.
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