Class Year

2018

Document Type

Student Research Paper

Date of Creation

Spring 2018

Department 1

Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies

Abstract

This research examines how college-aged women today view contraception in comparison to the ways it has been viewed by previous generations of women, as well as what they view the future of contraception in the United States to look like. This has been done through a lens of political action and advocacy, which has defined the fight for access to contraception and reproductive justice throughout history. In light of the recent threats on contraception and the corresponding responsive social movements, such as the Women’s March, women in the United States are shifting their views on the matter, but what actions are they taking?

Reproductive health is highly politicized, yet college-aged/millennial women are not accustomed to an administration that attacks contraception and their access to it. In response to the current American political climate, we've seen an embracing of feminism in the mainstream media and feminist organization, such as the Women's March, but have yet to see any policy change. The question this has led me to explore is whether or not attacks on access to contraception will politically mobilize and unite women. This research is based in interviews with women on the Gettysburg College campus and the analysis of data on racial, geographic, and class disparities in health care/access in order to understand the politicization of contraception in women's lives.

Comments

Written as a senior thesis in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies.

Download

Share

COinS