(The Lion) — Boston University will offer a course this fall teaching social work students to promote “reproductive justice” by focusing on “bodily autonomy.”
The “Reproductive Justice and Social Work” course, which will be taught by lecturer Kimberly Hokanson, is meant for social workers who help people directly and those who focus on larger social issues.
Students will use “critical theoretical frameworks” including intersectionality, Black Feminisms, disability justice and so-called radical reproductive justice.
The course will explore how “systems of oppression and bodily autonomy are intertwined” and how they impact policies on who can or cannot have children.
Students will learn how political and economic systems threaten “bodily autonomy” and why social workers should prioritize it when promoting “social justice,” the class description says.
Additionally, students will learn how “the control and subjugation of bodies is routinely used to oppress people and maintain oppressive social structures.”
The course plans to teach practical skills related to reproductive justice and encourage students to push for a more “liberatory future” through policy, advocacy and organizational change.
Myrna Flynn, president of Massachusetts Citizens for Life, told the College Fix the course is “clearly designed to train abortion-rights activists.”
Faculty and staff who approved the course seem “determined to indoctrinate students,” which could turn the next generation of social workers into “reliable abortion industry ambassadors,” she said.
Social workers have an “enormous responsibility” and should be prepared to understand the “range of emotions” that women in crisis pregnancies experience, according to Flynn.
“These individuals need to be well-informed of all the options, related safety issues, and the long-term effects of women’s choices,” she said. “A comprehensive knowledge of reproductive health will result in the best possible outcome for women and reflect authentic, impartial service provided by the social worker in her care.”
She also argued the course’s creator has bought into “fear mongering” from Democrats during the 2024 election, referring to concerns raised about Roe v. Wade being overturned in the 2022 Dobbs decision.
“The only attacks on bodily autonomy happening now are those on unborn children,” Flynn said.
Boston University strongly supports legal abortion.
Its then-President Robert Brown issued a statement supporting abortion when the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022.
“I had hoped that the day would not come when I would write to express my profound disappointment over an action of the Supreme Court of the United States,” he wrote. “However, I believe the Court’s official decision today to annul the 1973 decision of Roe v. Wade is an enormous step backward in protecting the rights of all women in our country.
“This decision denies women the right to make their own decisions about their reproductive health. Boston University remains steadfastly committed to guaranteeing women’s reproductive rights to the extent allowed under Massachusetts’ law.”
