Proceeding With Caution: An Analysis of Women in Tennessee Without Roe V. Wade

Proceedings of The 3rd International Conference on Gender Studies and Sexuality

Year: 2023

DOI:

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Proceeding With Caution: An Analysis of Women in Tennessee Without Roe V. Wade

Hicks-Goldston, Christina., Simmons, Kiana and Willis, Conchetta

ABSTRACT: 

This research applies a rhetorical, legal, and socio-economic analysis to the state of Tennessee’s abortion laws, which are the strictest laws in the United States as of August 25, 2022. Tennessee abortions laws have no exceptions for cases of rape, incest, or maternal health, and the laws’ impact on women will be severe, with women living in poverty or as members of marginalized communities impacted disproportionately. This research proposes a communication strategy for empowering women via information about how to operate within the post-Roe landscape while remaining healthy and safe to be presented to representatives at reproductive freedom organizations (the Southeastern Alliance for Reproductive Equity, composed of four anchor groups, Health & Free Tennessee, SisterSong Women of Color Reproductive Justice Collective, SPARK Reproductive Justice NOW, and the Women’s Rights and Empowerment Network), and other women’s groups serving the community for effective dissemination of the message. The communication plan combines rhetorical strategy emphasizing women’s health as the primary concern rather than imposed public opinion morality, a legal strategy of providing all necessary information for operating within the law while retaining body autonomy, and a socio-economic strategy that revises existing dialogues between the medical community and marginalized women. This research includes content outlines for informative presentations, media communication strategies, and suggested resources for women.

keywords: reproductive freedom, abortion, women’s health, Plan B, miscarriage