Bridging the Gap Between Reproductive Health and a Black Catholic HBCU
March 15, 2023
March is Women’s History Month.
But the right to reproductive health in America remains jeopardized.
For decades, women around the country have protested the U.S. justice system for the right to govern their own bodies. The long-standing battle seemed to have been settled after the 1973 Supreme Court decision on Roe v. Wade. However, on June 24, 2022, the Supreme Court overturned its previous ruling. The right to an abortion is now deemed unconstitutional after almost 50 years. It cleared the way for bans on the procedure in states across the country, including in Louisiana. The reversal of the decision comes as a defeat for women’s advocacy because it threatens the practices of sexual health and access to contraceptives.
For HBCU students, who study primarily in the South, the lack of access to reproductive resources or fear of criminalization for abortions is one that young Black women face. At Xavier, the only Black Catholic HBCU in the country, this issue is both religious and political. The traditional teachings of the Catechism of the Catholic Church have condemned abortion and contraceptives, including condoms. In addition, the dilemma has escalated due to the majority of Xavier’s campus population being women.
For Kash’Mir Foley, a senior biology pre-medicine major and member of Xavier’s sexual health awareness organization, SAPHE, there is a lack of prioritization of reproductive health and safe sex on campus.
“Sex talk is very hushed at our university,” Foley said. “If we want to promote safe sex or sexual health, then we need to do it out loud,” she added.
Xavier is home to the Institute for Black Catholic Studies, and Dr. Kathleen Bellow, a theology professor, and the Institute’s director, said she believes that the lack of reproductive advocacy is not rooted in the Catholic Church itself, but instead, it is guided by powerful individuals that make the decisions for everyone else.
“Most of the decision-makers in the church hierarchy are white men,” Bellow said. “There’s a gap in experience, so people are making decisions and policies while explaining teachings from their perspectives,” she added.
In terms of bridging the gap between the Catholic Church and reproductive health, Bellow said she believes that diverse representation in the church is needed to create a relatable, safe space for women of color. “A lot of people are impacted by their culture,” Bellow said. “The church not only has to include more women in ministries but there also has to be more Black people and other people of color,” she added.
Meanwhile, students at Xavier are refusing to settle for the university or the Catholic Church to make changes. Youma Diabira, a sophomore English major who also serves as a reproductive justice fellow for the national organization, In Our Own Voice, has recognized the need for reproductive health resources and she encourages students to take matters into their own hands.
“This is the first year that condoms have been distributed as a part of the university,” Diabira said. “The fight isn’t about politics or religion, it’s about equity,” she added.
