Dom Rosario on Undivided Rights

   When reading the chapters in Undivided Rights, some of the topics were not entirely new to me, as many GWS classes have covered this topic in a variety of different ways. As always, what stuck out to me the most and angered me the most is the "pro-choice" negligence of women of color's struggles. To me, the most compelling point in the entire reading was the lack of consideration of Latinas' ideas on reproductive freedom, maybe because it hits a personal cord with me.
      Focusing on the first chapter and chapter 12, where Latinas are talked about in detail, it brought me back to previous talks about this issue. I recall in one of my Gender and Women's Studies classes, not sure which one exactly, watching a documentary on Latin women, many were immigrants from Central America, who were sterilized without their consent, which is also something that is brought up in Undivided Rights. In my head, I cannot help but think of how awful this is and how anyone could do that to another person, to take away their choice of having children or having more children. I was also confused on why more people weren't discussing the issue and how nothing had really been done to end or solve the issue at hand.
     In the reading, there are many "reasons" why women of color are not really included or discussed within the "pro choice" movement. In particular, their reasoning for not discussing the issues of Latinas in regards to reproductive freedom was "As Latinas are predominantly catholic, it is assumed that they are all against abortion, do not use birth control, and are not active participants in political struggles for reproductive freedom. These ideas persist not only among the general public but in the pro-choice movement and feminist scholarship as well," (221). To me, this is both hilarious and infuriating. It is the most basic, ignorant excuse to not discuss a large issue that effects so many people. It is just a way for people to lessen their concerns with a group they don't identify with and lessen their responsibility to people they claim to be fighting for while not actually talking about their issues.
    The idea that because of perceived religion (because not all Latin people are catholic or even Christian) that Latinas couldn't possibly want what the "pro-choice" movement is fighting for is true. Latinas don't simply want the right to have abortions and birth control. Latinas want greater social change, which the "pro choice" movement isn't fighting for because that means dismantling the system that they are trying to work within. As chapter 12 says, "Grounded in the realities of their communities, Latinas insist that broader issues, such as racism and classism, influence their reproductive lives, and that true reproductive freedom necessitates an end to all forms of social inequality," (221). Latinas are fighting for more than just the right to choice, but the right to live better lives without serious oppressions pushing them down.



    As the images above show, there are plenty of current organizations created specifically for Latin Women fighting for reproductive freedom. The idea that the mainstream movement doesn't consider Latinas because they don't want the same things is proven false by one quick Google search, where hundreds of organizations regarding the reproductive freedom and justice for Latinas pop up. I don't think it has anything to do with Latinas being too religious to believe in the ideas of reproductive freedom. I think it's the racism and superiority within the mainstream movement that stops them from considering other women's issues that all fall under reproductive freedom.

Question: My vision is that all women of color come together to fight both society and the mainstream "pro-choice" movement. What ways would bring all women of color together?Are the commonalities in struggles between different groups of women of color enough to create a large scale movement of all women of color? If not, what do you think it would take to unite the different groups?