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On Tuesday evening, about 30 people attended a panel on reproductive justice<\/a> at the Ford School of Public Policy, hosted by the American Civil Liberties Union Undergraduate Chapter<\/a>, the Michigan Institute for Progressive Policy<\/a> and the College Democrats<\/a> at the University of Michigan. In honor of Women\u2019s History Month<\/a>, speakers Anna Kirkland, Emily Peterson, Bonsitu Kitaba and Allie Ingalls discussed their educational and professional experiences in reproductive justice, touching on topics such as abortion, contraception, LGBTQ+ rights and health care in the United States.<\/p>\n The speakers discussed the history of reproductive access and how President Donald Trump\u2019s administration has begun to attack policies regarding these rights<\/a> since his inauguration in January. Emily Peterson, lecturer of women\u2019s and gender studies, began the panel by explaining the historical ties between external control over women\u2019s bodies and slavery.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cYou can\u2019t start talking about how the government is involved in our reproductive decisions and our bodies without talking about slavery in the U.S.,\u201d Peterson said. \u201cA couple of key things to remember during the times of slavery was the idea that reproductive labor was expected. We expected enslaved women to produce children. We valued them based on their fertility, and we also had laws that reinforced the idea that if you were born to an enslaved woman, your child was also enslaved.\u201d<\/p>\n Peterson also broke down current issues<\/a> surrounding immigration that are fundamental to understanding the intersection between racism and attempting to control female reproduction.<\/p>\n