Alana M. Carroll
Staff Writer
A small yet diverse crowd gathered in the Unity Center beneath Donovan Dining Hall on Oct. 24 to attend a community meeting on a hot topic given the upcoming election: bodily autonomy. Those in attendance were of a wide range of ages, identities and cultures, proving that the issue is one that affects a great volume of people.
What is bodily autonomy? According to MSI United States, the term “is defined as the right to make decisions about your own body, life, and future, without coercion or violence.” Topics of bodily autonomy include one’s right to access contraceptives, to give and withdraw consent and to choose who one marries. Violations of bodily autonomy include restrictions on contraceptives and reproductive care as well as discrimination based on what one chooses to do with their body.
"You should be able to do whatever you want to yourself safely & without judgment," stated Jocelyn Foye during the one-hour presentation. Foye is the executive director of The Womxn Project, a nonprofit organization centered around accessible healthcare, bodily autonomy and legislative advocacy. The organization’s website specifies that the term “womxn” is inclusive not just to cisgender women, but to “trans people, non-binary and gender-fluid people.” As such, the term “bodily autonomy” applies not just to people’s right to contraception or abortion, but also to express whatever gender identity one aligns with. Violations of bodily autonomy in regards to trans people frequently include legislation on what one is (and more often, what one is not) allowed to do to their body in order to express their gender identity.
A bill was proposed in 2023, demanding that faculty members “notify the parent … if the student makes a certain disclosure concerning the student's gender identity or gender expression to an employee or staff member of the school.” Although it was rejected, there is still a push to instate similar legislature.
"[In Rhode Island, there is] an attempt by far-right parent's rights groups to overturn a policy ... that promotes the equal inclusion of trans students across the state," Ryan Fontaine, trans health education and policy specialist at Thundermist Health Center. Ryan went on to describe the recent school committee campaigns across the state run by Moms For Liberty and Robert Chiaradio. Both Chiaradio and Moms For Liberty have pushed to remove confidentiality regulations for transgender students regardless of any potential harm it may pose to the student.
The policy in question was instated in 2016 by the Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE).
“School personnel should speak with the student first before discussing a student’s gender nonconformity or transgender status with the student’s parents or guardians,” it reads. “Schools should not discuss a student’s gender identity with the parents or guardians if school personnel believe it may jeopardize the student’s physical or mental safety.”
The conversation then transitioned into what actions Rhode Islanders can take to oppose the dangerous rhetoric being pushed by anti-trans groups. "It's really great to get on the phone and ask the questions,” answered Foye. She suggested calling school boards to ask about planned assemblies and inquiring about the topics that will be discussed, as well as the meeting’s stance on public comment. Foye also encouraged those with personal anecdotes related to trans or LGBTQ+ topics to share if comfortable. "You're telling your truth, and no one can take that."
"Going in and doing storytelling is really impactful," continued Fontaine. "Yes, I'm here, I see what's going on.” She also encouraged attendees not to “take the opposition’s bait” and instead focus on sharing personal tales. “Tell your story. ... Really center on what your purpose is and what positive messages are for supporting your goal."
The day following the meeting, a member of The Anchor sat to speak with Danii De La Rosa, the Assistant Director for the Unity Center at Rhode Island College. “It was really a conversation between our director and the executive director of The Womxn Project,” said Rosa when asked about the Unity Center’s choice to host an event in the Empowered to Advocate series. The Unity Center’s web page describes it as a place that promotes equality and offers a space to touch on difficult topics of oppression. “This space provided a space for all of this to happen, ... for folks to get involved."
"Just two days before this program, we had Sojourner House ... give a workshop on domestic violence in honor of Domestic Violence Awareness Month,” Rosa continued brightly. "For one thing, we serve students of color, LGBT students and women, so programming that supports LGBT and women's rights is very important to us. In one week, we were able to host both of these great programs on gender-based issues, and we hope to continue hosting programs.”
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