Race, Class, and Abortion: How Liberation Theology Enhances the Demand for Reproductive Justice

Abstract

The debate over abortion tends to be framed as life versus choice. Yet, neither pole matches the actual experiences of women, especially women of colour and poor women. Using the hermeneutical circle from the perspective of Christian liberation theology, this article argues that beginning with the voices of those marginalized in the debate leads us to a broader conversation of reproductive justice, which requires an analysis of reproduction as a whole. The article focuses on what constrains the ability of women and men to choose whether to have children, across the spectrum from contraception to abortion to fetus selection.