Abstract:
Reproductive
rights are becoming increasingly curtailed around the United States, often in
the name of religious ideals and beliefs around the respective roles of women
and fetuses. But we should resist simplistic stories of religion vs. rights and
explore the deeper ways in which religion plays different roles in women’s
reproductive decision making, framing of the narratives of their lives, and the
role of religious values in the context of reproductive decision making.
Considerations of various religious traditions and the complexities of personal
belief in relation to reproductive practices and how they impact the landscape
of reproductive freedom and justice within the US provide key touchpoints from
which to engage in creative ethical work. In this conversation, we will explore
ways to creatively and effectively navigate challenging conversations with
patients and providers around reproductive rights and practices in the context
of this complexity.
Dr.
Amy DeBaets
serves as a Clinical Associate Professor at Roseman University of Heath
Sciences College of Medicine. Dr. DeBaets earned a PhD at Emory University in
religion with a focus on ethics and society, as well as a graduate certificate
in women’s, gender, and sexuality studies and has served as an academic,
clinical, and research ethicist throughout her career. She is widely published,
with her work appearing in the American Journal of Bioethics, the American
Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Academic Medicine, among others. She
is currently co-editing the forthcoming Handbook of Religion, Spirituality, and
Bioethics from Routledge and serves as an organizational change manager in the
financial services industry.