1963 General Resolution – Reform of Abortion Statutes

WHEREAS, we as Unitarian Universalists are deeply concerned for dignity and rights of human beings; and

WHEREAS, the laws which narrowly circumscribe or completely prohibit termination of pregnancy by qualified medical practitioners are an affront to human life and dignity; and

WHEREAS, these statutes drive many women in the United States and Canada to seek illegal abortions with increased risk of death, while others must travel to distant lands for lawful relief;

BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association support enactment of a uniform statute making abortion legal if:

  1. There would be grave impairment of the physical or mental health of the mother;
  2. The child would be born with a serious physical or mental defect;
  3. Pregnancy resulted from rape or incest;
  4. There exists some other compelling reason — physical, psychological, mental, spiritual, or economic.

1968 General Resolution – Abortion

BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1968 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalists Association urges that efforts be made to abolish existing abortion laws except to prohibit performance of an abortion by a person who is not a duly licensed physician, leaving the decision as to an abortion to the doctor and his patient.

 

1973 General Resolution  – Abortion

WHEREAS, there are well organized efforts of letter writing, petitions, and a Washington Office for lobbying to amend the US Constitution to overturn the US Supreme Court decision on abortion;

BE IT RESOLVED: That we support the US Supreme Court ruling on abortion and its implementation.

 

1975 General Resolution – For the Right to Abortion

WHEREAS, every female should be accorded the right to decide whether or not she should bear a child;

WHEREAS, contraceptive methods are not perfect and do not absolutely protect against pregnancy; and

WHEREAS, abortion can be a relatively simple and safe way to terminate a pregnancy;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the delegates at the 1975 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association reaffirm the right of any female of any age or marital or economical status to have an abortion at her own request upon medical/social consultation of her own choosing; and urge all Unitarian Universalists in the United States to resist through their elected representatives the efforts now under way by some members of the Congress of the United States and state legislatures to curtail that right by means of constitutional amendment or other means;

AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That we urge all Unitarian Universalists and all Unitarian Universalist societies in Canada through the Canadian Unitarian Council to strive for making these rights available in Canada;

AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the General Assembly deplores the legal persecution by the Canadian authorities of Dr. Henry Morgenthaler for his courageous fight for the abortion rights of Canadian women and his willingness to assist them in exercising those rights. We deplore particularly the attack by the Crown prosecutor on the jury system, which has twice acquitted Dr. Morgenthaler; the mistreatment of Dr. Morgenthaler in prison after his second acquittal; the shocking ruling of the Canadian courts that an Appellate Court can declare a defendant guilty after he has been acquitted by a jury; and the announced intention of the Crown prosecutor to carry on ten more prosecutions of Dr. Morgenthaler for past abortions. The General Assembly commends the Canadian Unitarian Council for its support of Dr. Morgenthaler and requests the CUC to convey the concern of the General Assembly to the Prime Minister of Canada and the Prime Minister of Quebec, and to request the Prime Minister of Canada to procure for Dr. Morgenthaler a royal pardon.

 

1977 General Resolution – Abortion

WHEREAS, attempts are now being made to deny Medicaid funds for abortion and to enact Constitutional Amendments that would limit abortions to life-endangering situations and thus remove this decision from the individual and her physician; and

WHEREAS, such legislation is an infringement of the principle of the separation of church and state as it tries to enact a position on private morality into public law; and

WHEREAS, such anti-abortion legislation would cause the revival of illegal abortion and result in the criminal exploitation of women who are without money or influence, forcing them to resort to unsafe procedures; and

WHEREAS, we affirm the right of each woman to make the decisions concerning her own body and future and we stress the responsibilities and long-term commitment involved in the choice of parenthood;

WHEREAS, the majority of the Supreme Court has ruled on June 20, 1977 that the states are not obligated to expend Medicaid funds for elective abortions, and has also ruled that public hospitals are not obligated to perform abortions;

WHEREAS, there is a strong national movement to have two-thirds of the state legislatures request Congress to convene a Constitutional convention for the purpose of proposing a Constitutional amendment to prohibit abortion;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1977 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association expresses its dismay and regret at the June 20, 1977 decision of the Supreme Court as seriously jeopardizing the right of legal abortion won in the Supreme Court decisions of January, 1973; opposes the denial of Medicaid funds for abortion and any Constitutional amendment prohibiting abortion and urges members of the societies of the Unitarian Universalist Association to write or wire their senators and representatives in Congress and state legislatures to inform them of our position on these issues.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the 1977 General Assembly positively affirms its respect for the responsibilities and joys of parenthood, and the member societies of the Unitarian Universalist Association are encouraged to develop workshops and other programs on parenthood and parenting.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the 1977 General Assembly urges that federal funds be invested in research to find more effective and safer methods of birth control.

 

1978 General Resolution – Abortion: Right to Choose

WHEREAS, religious freedom under the Bill of Rights is a cherished American right; and

WHEREAS, right to choice on contraception and abortion are important aspects of the right of privacy, respect for human life and freedom of conscience of women and their families; and

WHEREAS, there is increasing religious and political pressure in the United States to deny the foregoing rights;

BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1978 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association once again affirms the 1973 decision of the Supreme Court of the United States on abortion and urges the Association and member societies and individual members of member societies to continue and to intensify efforts to insure that every woman, whatever her financial means, shall have the right to choose to terminate a pregnancy legally and with all possible safeguards; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the 1978 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association urges the Unitarian Universalist Association, districts, and individual Unitarian Universalist societies to continue and, where possible, increase their efforts to maintain right of choice on abortion, including increased cooperation with the Religious Coalition for Abortion Rights, the National Abortion Rights Action League, and other groups seeking maintenance of this right; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the 1978 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association strongly opposes any denial or restriction of federal funds, or any Constitutional amendment, or the calling of a national Constitutional Convention to propose a Constitutional amendment, that would prohibit or restrict access to legal abortion.

 

1980 General Resolution – A Religious Statement on Abortion: A Call to Commitment

WHEREAS, the Religious Coalition for Abortion Rights, an organization supported by twenty-seven religious bodies, including the Unitarian Universalist Association, has issued a “Call to Commitment: A Religious Statement on Abortion”; and

WHEREAS, in order to provide a unified approach, five of the religious bodies have already passed resolutions endorsing this statement and many others will consider it at meetings shortly; and

WHEREAS, the Board of Trustees of the Unitarian Universalist Association has endorsed the statement and encourages similar endorsement by wider representation in our denomination;

BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1980 General Assembly to the Unitarian Universalist Association endorse “A Religious Statement on Abortion: A Call to Commitment” prepared by the Religious Coalition on Abortion Rights; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the 1980 General Assembly urges that educational programs and efforts be pressed forward to foster responsibility in sexual conduct in the interest of reducing unwanted pregnancies.

1985 Business Resolution – Resolution on Abortion Clinic Bombings

VOTED: That the terrorist bombings of family planning agencies and abortion clinics throughout the United States are attempts to deny the right of free choice and to prevent the exercise of that right through intimidation.This breakdown of law and order is deplored by the Unitarian Universalist Association Board of Trustees.

We call on all federal, state and local authorities to protect our citizens’ constitutionally guaranteed rights.

 

1987 General Resolution – Right to Choose

BECAUSE, Unitarian Universalists believe that the inherent worth and dignity of every person, the right of individual conscience, and respect for human life are inalienable rights due every person; and that the personal right to choose in regard to contraception and abortion is an important aspect of these rights; and

BECAUSE, we believe in tolerance and compassion for persons whose choices may differ from our own; and

BECAUSE, we believe not only in the value of life itself but also in the quality of life; and

WHEREAS, pain, suffering, and loss of life were widespread prior to the legalization of abortion in 1973 by the U.S. Supreme Court (Roe v. Wade ) and the 1969 amendments to the Criminal Code of Canada;

WHEREAS, the issue of abortion is morally complex, abortion must remain a legal option; and

WHEREAS, attempts are now being made to restrict access to birth control and abortion by overriding individual decisions of conscience, and attacks in legislatures, courts, and the streets often result in depriving poor women of their right to medical care; and such legislation is an infringement of the principle of separation of church and state in that it tries to enact private morality into public law; and

WHEREAS, there is a movement to re-criminalize abortion both for women and their health-care providers which could bring back dangerous alternatives to clinically safe abortions;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1987 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association reaffirms its historic position, supporting the right to choose contraception and abortion as legitimate aspects of the right to privacy; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that:

  1. Individual Unitarian Universalists educate themselves, their congregations, and the public about the new moral understandings emergent in the works of feminist theologians and social ethicists; and
  2. Unitarian Universalists oppose any move to deny or restrict the distribution of government funds as a means of restricting access to full contraceptive and abortion counseling and/or services, at home or abroad; and
  3. Unitarian Universalists actively oppose all legislation, regulation and administrative action, at any level of government, intended to undermine or circumvent the Roe v. Wade decision; and
  4. Unitarian Universalists communicate their opposition to such attempts to their legislative representatives and to the electorate; and
  5. Unitarian Universalists expose and oppose bogus clinics and other tactics that infringe on the free exercise of the right to choose; and
  6. Unitarian Universalists promote legislation funding safe abortions for low-income women; and
  7. Individual Unitarian Universalists, congregations, and the Unitarian Universalist Association open discussion with those of different mind, and seek opportunities to work productively from shared values to promote family planning and education for responsible sex; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED: That we reaffirm the right to choose contraception and abortion as a legitimate expression of our constitutional rights.

 

1990 General Resolution – Choices Affecting Population

BECAUSE we believe in the inherent worth and dignity of every individual;

BECAUSE we cherish the earth and seek to preserve the environment for future generations;

BECAUSE we hold a deep reverence for all life; and

BECAUSE we recognize that what we choose today will affect the quality of life for our children, our grandchildren, and all generations to come; and

WHEREAS tens of thousands of children die of starvation every day;

WHEREAS 500 million more children suffer homelessness, poverty, and malnutrition;

WHEREAS our current exponential rate of population growth would add one billion people to the world population in the next twelve years;

WHEREAS increasing population is frequently associated with increasing the pollution of the water, air, soil, and ozone shield, and further depleting the earth’s finite resources;

WHEREAS the crush of overpopulation often contributes to aggressive and destructive behavior; and

WHEREAS the United States (US) government has cut back its support for family planning programs;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA), in order to protect the environment and promote quality of life for future generations, calls upon its congregations and individual Unitarian Universalists to:

  1. Promote education on the morality and ultimate economic, environmental, and social necessity of couples planning their family size;
  2. Promote age-appropriate sex education for all children;
  3. Encourage the use of contraception to prevent unwanted pregnancies and support the right to choose abortion;
  4. Promote medical research, accelerated governmental approval, and the commercial development of safe and more effective means of birth control, such as RU486, currently unavailable in both Canada and the United States;
  5. Advocate in legislatures, courts, media, and schools the ethical position that the well-being of future generations requires the right to choose contraception and abortion now; and
  6. Advocate that US government restore funding and support for family planning programs, including those which may offer the choices of contraception and abortion.

1991 Resolution of Immediate Witness – Rights of Privacy and Free Speech

WHEREAS the Supreme Court of the United States on May 23, l99l, upheld a Bush Administration regulation which withholds all funding provided under Title X of the Public Health Service Act from any family planning agency whose physicians and educators advise their clients or patients of their option to obtain an abortion;

WHEREAS Unitarian Universalists in the United States challenge any threat to the fundamental and constitutional right of free speech and the right to privacy established in the United States Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade;

WHEREAS we believe in a woman’s right to discuss medical matters with her physician and other health care professionals;

WHEREAS we believe in health care providers’ rights and obligations to advise their patients about problem pregnancy options, including abortion; and

WHEREAS we believe that, regardless of income, every person has the right to all reproductive health information and basic services;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the l99l General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association expresses its outrage over the invasion of free speech and privacy as implemented by the Bush Administration’s withholding of Title X monies from family planning agencies which educate or advise their clients of the option of abortion; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the l99l General Assembly urges all Unitarian Universalist congregations in the United States and their members to immediately contact their Representatives and Senators and urge them to:

  1. enact legislation (presently SB323 and HR392) which will ensure that birth control information and counselling about problem pregnancy options, including abortion, be made available to women; and
  2. pass this legislation without restrictive amendments that would require parental notification or consent.

1993 General Resolution – Federal Legislation for Choice

BECAUSE Unitarian Universalists affirm the inherent worth and dignity of every person and the right of individual conscience; and

BECAUSE Unitarian Universalists affirm the value of life and are concerned about the quality of life; and

WHEREAS the 1987 General Resolution “Right to Choose” recognized the morally complex nature of abortion and stressed “tolerance and compassion for persons whose choices may differ from our own”;

WHEREAS the Supreme Court of the United States, in recent decisions, has undermined the principle of freedom of choice in reproductive matters recognized in Roe v. Wade (1973);

WHEREAS further erosion or overturning of Roe v. Wade by future decisions of the Supreme Court could leave a woman’s right to choose subject to state legislation, which may be unsympathetic or even opposed to choice by creating demeaning and unnecessary barriers to safe, timely, and accessible services; and

WHEREAS recent developments include both the more favorable attitude of the Clinton administration toward a woman’s right to choose and a marked increase in violence intended to obstruct access to abortion;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that Unitarian Universalists in the United States be urged to promote passage of federal legislation to:

  1. guarantee the fundamental right of individual choice in reproductive matters;
  2. require that counseling agencies receiving federal funds provide information about pregnancy options, including abortions;
  3. provide federal funds to make abortion available to women of low income and to women in the armed services;
  4. ensure the provision of abortion services for all women within a national health program;
  5. protect medical personnel who supply abortion services, and their families, from harassment and intimidation; and
  6. guarantee unrestricted access to counseling and abortion services, regardless of age, class, race, or situation, without curtailing peaceful protest.

1994 Resolution of Immediate Witness – Sexuality Education in Public Schools

BECAUSE Unitarian Universalists affirm and promote the inherent worth and dignity of every person, and

BECAUSE Unitarian Universalists affirm the value of loving relationships—heterosexual, gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender; and

WHEREAS youth are increasingly exposed to and victimized by rape and incest, unplanned pregnancy, sexual abuse, and sexual harassment;

WHEREAS the Texas Republican Party platform, adopted on June 11, 1994, states that “homosexuality should not be presented as an acceptable lifestyle in our public schools” and that “we also oppose the use of any tax dollars for any program . . . which teaches and legitimizes sexual activity, birth control, abortion, and homosexuality”;

WHEREAS there are high suicide rates among heterosexual, gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender high school students; and

WHEREAS each high school class graduating without appropriate sexuality education is more prone to prejudiced attitudes, pregnancy, and sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the 1994 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association condemns the platform expressed by the Texas Republican Party; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the 1994 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association urges member congregations to advocate the availability of comprehensive, objective, unbiased, up-to-date, age-appropriate, sexuality education curricula in public schools, including information about:

  • the reproductive system and its functions;
  • the proper use of all forms of contraception, including the option of abstinence;
  • sexually transmitted diseases, their prevention and treatment;
  • sexual abuse, sexual assault, sexual harassment, rape (including date rape), and incest, as well as their prevention and treatment through counseling, information, and resources;
  • pregnancy counseling and options including information about organizations such as Planned Parenthood and BirthRight; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that sexuality education curricula be taught by teachers specifically trained to educate youth on the topic of sexuality education, and that the curricula will encompass heterosexual, gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender orientations and include a focus on sexual responsibility and the emotional aspects of relationships and crises; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that member congregations are urged to make available sexuality education programs, such as About Your Sexuality, to both Unitarian Universalist youth and youth in the community at large.

 

2015 Statement of Conscience – Reproductive Justice

As Unitarian Universalists, we embrace the reproductive justice framework, which espouses the human right to have children, not to have children, to parent the children one has in healthy environments and to safeguard bodily autonomy and to express one’s sexuality freely.  The reproductive justice movement was founded at a time when the unique range of issues faced by women of color were not addressed by the predominantly white middle class women’s rights and reproductive rights movements nor the predominantly male civil rights movement.  Those issues have included forced sterilization, forced contraception, and higher rates of removal of children from families due to accusations of abuse or neglect.  These issues, coupled with systemic racism, have frequently made parenting or co-parenting more difficult due to many factors, including but not limited to, discriminatory and unequal implementation of laws and incarceration rates, prohibitions imposed on people after incarceration, unjust immigration policies, and economic insecurity.

Reproductive justice is the term created by women of color in 1994, to center the experience of the most vulnerable, and to bridge the gap between reproductive rights and other social justice movements.  Some of these women helped to found SisterSong and have explained that the reproductive justice framework “represents a shift for women advocating for control of their bodies–from a narrower focus on legal access and individual choice…to a broader analysis of racial, economic, cultural, and structural constraints on [their] power.  Reproductive justice addresses the social reality of inequality, specifically, the inequality of opportunities that [women of color] have to control [their] reproductive destiny.”[1]  We as Unitarian Universalists declare that all people have the right to self-expression with regard to gender and sexuality and the right to live free from sexual violence, intimate partner violence, and exploitation including sexual and reproductive exploitation.

The reproductive justice movement envisions the liberation of people of all genders, sexual orientations, abilities, gender identities, ages, classes, and cultural and racial identities.  Such liberation requires not only accurate information about sexuality and reproduction and control of personal reproductive decisions, but also living wages, safe and supported housing, high quality and comprehensive medical and reproductive health care, access to voting and the political process, affordable legal representation, fair immigration policies, paid parental leave, affordable childcare, and the absence of individual and institutional violence.

The world we envision includes social, political, legal, and economic systems that support everyone’s freedom of reproductive choice and expression of gender identity and sexuality, especially the most vulnerable and marginalized.  In such a world, all communities are places of equality, abundance and safety, free from violence, oppression, and hazardous environments.  This world includes access to safe, affordable, and culturally and developmentally appropriate child care and health care.  In our vision, everyone has access to accurate information about sexuality and family planning, and safe, healthy, and culturally sensitive reproductive health services.

Our faith tradition has a long history of progressive witness for freedom and justice.  Soon after the merger of Universalism and Unitarianism, the new Association (1961) adopted statements in support of civil rights and the rights of women.  In time, the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations added advocacy for those facing oppression based on their sexual orientation or gender identity and expression.   We have offered sexuality education across the lifespan within our congregations, and have advocated for these beliefs in the public sphere.

As participants in the reproductive justice movement, Unitarian Universalists commit to follow the lead of, act in solidarity with, and be accountable to communities of color and other marginalized groups, using our positions of power to support those communities’ priorities. Both those affected and their allies play important roles. Unitarian Universalists are laying the groundwork for the transformative power of multicultural organizing in partnership with reproductive justice organizations and leaders, looking for leadership from those most affected.  We will use our position to speak loudly in the religious arena, as the religious voice has often been used to limit access to reproductive justice.

Theological Grounding

As Unitarian Universalists we covenant to uphold our seven principles.  The first, second and sixth principles are the most applicable to Reproductive Justice.  We are all relational beings with varying abilities, preferences, and identities.  Unitarian Universalism calls us to advocate for the positive expression of sexuality, including choices about reproduction and nurturing, and for a culture of respect and empowerment.  Our commitment to our principles calls us to support and partner with oppressed communities as we work together to build the world we dream about.  In order to embody our principles, we as Unitarian Universalists must listen to and follow the lead of those from the affected communities, especially women of color, and reach outside our cultural assumptions.

Unitarian Universalists support gender equity, positive sexuality, diverse sexual expression and the individual’s right to make reproductive choices.   Such choices are influenced by social and political systems as well as by factors such as racial/cultural identity, economic status, immigration/citizenship status, relationship with the justice system, health status, and ability. Our religious tradition directs us to respect the diversity of faith traditions that surround us and insists that no singular religious viewpoint or creed guide the policies of our governments.

Our pluralistic congregations include diverse beliefs, backgrounds, and personal stories.  Yet we unite in striving to live out the values and principles that call us to work for reproductive justice in spite of the complexities of the issues.

Actions

We commit to putting our values into action, striving for equality and justice and honoring the rights, needs and choices of everyone.   Affirming the interconnected web of life with justice for all people, we commit to undertake actions that could include the following.

As individuals we can

  • Study reproductive justice issues, including sexuality, gender identity, classism, ableism, sexual violence, immigration, and racism.
  • Seek to understand and take responsibility for our personal biases.
  • Risk telling our own stories, and be willing to truly hear and trust the stories of others.
  • Work to accept one’s own body, sexuality, and abilities.
  • Adopt spiritual practices that contribute to self-care.
  • Advocate for reproductive justice and related issues through op-ed pieces, letters to the editor, letters and visits to legislators, and direct action.
  • Volunteer with and/or provide financial support to organizations that provide reproductive health services at little or no cost, abortion clinics, women’s shelters, and child and family community support centers.
  • Protest violations of basic human rights, including sexual trafficking and the inhumane treatment of sex workers.
  • Support reproductive health/abortion clinics that are experiencing intimidation and spiritual or physical violence.
  • Effect positive change within our own social circles and professions.
  • Support reproductive justice groups as active participants or accountable allies.
  • Consider these issues when voting.
  • Eliminate barriers (economic, educational, language, accessibility, etc.) to reproductive justice services.
  • Provide leadership in our congregation and community on these issues.
  • Contribute financially to organizations that advocate for reproductive justice issues, including the social determinants underlying racism, classism, sexism, ageism, ableism, homophobia, transphobia, and other forms of oppression.
  • Work to ensure equity and respect and eliminate discrimination and coercion for all participants in the adoption and foster care system.

In our relationships we can

  • Respect all people and their decisions regarding reproduction, even those with whom we disagree.
  • Minister to one another around reproductive health and reproductive justice issues.
  • Be sensitive to others’ stories, respecting their life experiences and lived realities.
  • Accept people of all abilities, identities, orientations, and generations as sexual beings.
  • Accompany anyone wanting support (e.g., while seeking government assistance, in making decisions for their families about pregnancy and adoption, during abortions, and during childbirth).
  • Engage children and youth in dialogue and learning about sexuality and relationships in ways that respect their self-expression and contributions.
  • Seek and accept leadership from people most affected by reproductive injustice.
  • Believe the survivors who share their experience of sexual and/or interpersonal violence.  Listen with compassion, offer support, and avoid victim-blaming language.

In our congregations we can

  • Form a reproductive justice group, task force, committee, or interfaith coalition.
  • Invite and consult with reproductive justice advocates and groups to share their understanding and expertise, and/or conduct reproductive justice trainings.
  • Connect religious professionals and lay leaders with organizations and networks that promote reproductive and economic justice and human rights.
  • Encourage religious professionals and lay leaders to participate in reproductive justice-related education and training.
  • Provide ministry and pastoral care that is inclusive of all people and reproductive justice issues.
  • Offer worship, discussion, and small group ministry on reproductive justice issues.
  • Develop and promote congregational statements on reproductive justice.
  • Provide spaces, programs, and teaching for community groups working on reproductive justice issues.
  • Provide education to children, youth and adults that are age, ability, and identity appropriate.
  • Engage children, youth, and adults in dialogue and learning about healthy sexuality and relationships in ways that respect their self-expression and contributions.
  • Join with state legislative ministry organizations and interfaith networks in their advocacy for reproductive rights or organize such advocacy.
  • Communicate reproductive justice information using the congregation’s virtual community networks, newsletters, and orders of service.
  • Implement Safe Congregations guidelines and practices.
  • Continue Welcoming Congregation advocacy and education efforts related to gender and sexuality.
  • Reach out and participate in interfaith and secular work on racism, classism, gender and/or sexual health issues.
  • Welcome breastfeeding in our shared spaces.

As an Association we can

  • Publicly witness and advocate for sexual and reproductive justice in the US and around the world.
  • Advocate for just legislation and policies and the rights of families and individuals at the state and federal levels.
  • Advocate for comprehensive reproductive health services, including contraception, prenatal care, abortion, and infertility treatment.
  • Advocate for the right to access comprehensive and medically accurate reproductive health information.
  • Support UU state legislative ministry organizations in their work that supports reproductive justice.
  • Provide curricula, resources, current information, and networking opportunities that congregations can use in their reproductive justice education and advocacy efforts.
  • Collaborate with other faith-based and secular organizations working for reproductive justice and related issues, in order to build a stronger, more intersectional justice movement.
  • Present reproductive justice workshops at district/regional, national, and international meetings.

With open minds, helping hands, and loving hearts, we work toward reproductive justice, and commit to replacing insecurity with safety, fear with acceptance, judgment with love, and shame with compassion.

Footnote

[1] From “Why is Reproductive Justice Important for Women of Color?” on the SisterSong website.