Witches, Welfare Queens, and Abortion-Seekers: The Fight for Reproductive Autonomy

Carolyn McConnell, Amanda Roberti

Demonizing women’s exercise of reproductive autonomy is a tactic for controlling women’s reproductive capacities with deep historic roots. Like the witch hunts of the 17th century, attacks on women on welfare, immigrant mothers, and abortion seekers revolve around labelling these women and their choices as monstrous. These attacks on reproductive autonomy serve to divide and conquer and must be seen as the latest effort to extract reproductive labor at a discount. In this panel we will discuss these historic patterns and how activists are fighting back against both stereotyping and policies alike by demanding reproductive autonomy for all.