KU Law Students for Reproductive Justice gears up at Green Hall

KU Law Students for Reproductive Justice is one of the newest law student groups on campus — and also one of the busiest!

KU Law Students for Reproductive Justice is part of the only student-led, student-centered nationwide network of law students, professors and lawyers committed to fostering the next wave of legal experts for the reproductive justice movement.

A lot of people ask: What does reproductive justice mean? We believe reproductive justice will be achieved when all people and communities have access to the information, resources and support they need to attain sexual and reproductive self-determination.

In pursuit of that ultimate goal, KU Law Students for Reproductive Justice offers educational, activism and community service opportunities.

Our first educational event was a screening of “The Education of Shelby Knox,” a 2005 documentary that tells the coming-of-age story of a teenage girl who joins a campaign for comprehensive sex education in the high schools of Lubbock, Texas. It was a great opportunity for students to learn about the issues surrounding comprehensive sex education, both in support and opposition.

Our first activism project is supporting Prevention First legislation. There are various Prevention First bills being advocated in Kansas, Missouri and the federal government. The general tenets of Prevention First legislation are to protect: 1) access to birth control, including emergency contraception; 2) access to medically accurate, comprehensive sex education; and 3) access to affordable family planning and reproductive health care. We are working with Planned Parenthood of Kansas and Mid-Missouri to deliver the petitions to legislators.

It’s only been about two months since we had our first meeting, but KU Law Students for Reproductive Justice is definitely on a roll with plenty more to come! Already we are planning an event in January to honor the anniversary of Roe v. Wade. Professor Stephen McAllister, a constitutional law professor at KU, will give a lecture called “What Roe v. Wade Really Means.” Professor McAllister will lay out the actual law and ask some of the difficult questions that confront both sides of the Roe debate to get to the heart of what this landmark decision really means.

Look for more exciting new opportunities from KU Law Students for Reproductive Justice by e-mailing lsrj@ku.edu to join our e-mail list!

Kristin Maun, President, Law Students for Reproductive Justice