Sexual and reproductive health is a public health domain that intersects with numerous issues, foremost equity, justice, and rights. That is why this Chair is needed: to study equity, justice, and rights in sexual and reproductive health and to train the next generation of scientists/scholars and educators in support of the belief that all individuals – no matter who they are, how much money they have, or where they are from – have equity, justice, and rights in sexual and reproductive health. This work must begin immediately!
Equity
Research indicates higher rates of sexually transmitted infections (STI) and unintended pregnancy among some racial and ethnic minority groups compared to Whites. [i] It is important to acknowledge that these higher rates are linked to issues of equity – when everyone does not have a fair and just opportunity to be as healthy as possible. Social conditions such as poverty, discrimination, and their subsequent consequences, including powerlessness, are more likely to affect minority groups, often resulting in reduced access to fair paying jobs, quality education and housing, safe environments, and health care, specifically sexual and reproductive health care. [ii]
Justice
Sexual and reproductive justice is the human right to control one's body, life, sexuality, gender, work, and reproduction. The study of sexual and reproductive health justice, and its impacts, is sorely needed. For example, there remain legal and policy restrictions to health service provision and comprehensive sexual and reproductive health care for people around the world. [iii] Funding from the local, state, and national levels are not available to ensure universal access to basic health care, including sexual and reproductive health.
Rights
Sexual and reproductive rights assume that individuals retain agency over decisions related to their own bodies and have sufficiently accurate information to use in making those decisions and informing their health behaviors; to have a healthy, safe, consensual, and enjoyable sex life; and to easily access affordable services that keep them healthy. Research indicates that many people – locally, nationally, and globally – lack critical sexual and reproductive rights. For example, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and other (LGBT+) individuals face discrimination because of who they are, wide gaps remain in access to sexual and reproductive health education, and many individuals are faced with issues of bodily autonomy as they are subjected to sexual and reproductive coercion and sexual and gender-based violence. [iv]
Therefore, potential questions to be addressed by the Joycelyn Elders Chair of Equity, Justice, and Rights in Sexual and Reproductive Health include: 1) What are innovative and sustainable approaches to creating and ensuring sexual and reproductive health equity in communities, both in Indiana and beyond? 2) What leads to sexual and reproductive justice and what are the consequences of injustice? 3) What is the impact of having full sexual and reproductive rights on issues such as health, pleasure, and happiness?
Individuals most impacted by issues of equity, justice, and rights in sexual and reproductive health are those who have fewer resources and means to navigate systemic barriers. And, even with what is already known about equity, justice, and rights in sexual and reproductive health, additional research is needed by scholars who are experts in this domain.
Sexual and reproductive health equity, justice, and rights are human rights. Sexual and reproductive health is public health. Join the Indiana University School of Public Health-Bloomington as it seeks to realize the Joycelyn Elders Chair of Equity, Justice, and Rights in Sexual and Reproductive Health at Indiana University, the birthplace of sex research!
[i]https://www.cdc.gov/std/health-disparities/default.htm
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4861155/
[ii]https://www.rwjf.org/en/library/research/2017/05/what-is-health-equity-.html
[iii]https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)30801-1/fulltext
[iv]https://www.acog.org/clinical/clinical-guidance/committee-opinion/articles/2013/02/reproductive-and-sexual-coercion