Men For Equity and Reproductive Justice
It is time for men to get into the arena! Moving past guilt and shame, we invite men, regardless of race, ability, sexual orientation, class, or age to join our efforts to support womxn- and BIPOC-led reproductive health and abortion rights organizations.
MERJ leadership is proud to announce that our recent year-end fundraiser for the Palestinian Feminist Collective (PFC) and Middle East Children’s Alliance (MECA) organizations was a huge success! See our January newsletter for more details, and thank you so much to all of our incredibly generous donors!
Language Disclaimer: Men for Equity and Reproductive Justice (MERJ) recognizes that people have diverse gender identities and strives to use gender inclusive language in its social media, literature and all other digital materials. Throughout the website, MERJ uses the word “female” and “woman/en” intending to be inclusive of non-binary, gender non-conforming and transgender people. As gender language continues to evolve in our communities, MERJ will regularly reassess its language and will make adjustments immediately.
About Us
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In 2021, a few men gathered to end our silence on reproductive justice-based rights. As men we have been noticeably absent from supporting women’s struggles to control their own bodies. With the Supreme Court's decision in Texas Senate Bill 8 (SB8), and reactionary legislation and regulation nationwide, we accept the responsibility of pro-active organizing.
Men for Equity and Reproductive Justice (MERJ) formed as a support space particularly for Black, Indigenous, and Women of Color (BIPOC) led organizations. MERJ supports full access to abortion and all other reproductive justice (RJ) rights. As a group of men, we commit to unlearning the continued systemic legacy of patriarchy, capitalism and white supremacy, and their threat to body sovereignty.
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We are men:
Who mobilize and organize other men for reproductive justice by:
a) Meeting them in their personal political space
b) Connecting them with local and national reproductive rights organizations
Who are accountable for our internalized patriarchy by:
a) Ongoing self-education through multi-media (Resources)
b) Developing self-awareness in order to stop how we use our bodies to overpower others
c) Recognizing that feedback is a gift and not a threat
Advocating that reproductive justice is a human rights issue
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To build a critical mass of men who:
Listen, trust and believe the voices of non-male identified people of all races, genders and class backgrounds, to help us understand how, where and when to show up for reproductive justice
Engage with BIPOC women-led efforts towards reproductive justice by following their request for financial, emotional, and other forms of support
Vision
We envision a world where men actively partner with women, dismantling all oppressive barriers to reproductive justice.
Reproductive Justice Organizations
Find agencies and organizations that strongly support reproductive justice in your state.
Title IX Timeline
Forty-four years ago, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 became law, mandating the equal treatment of all students, regardless of gender, in education programs and activities that receive federal financial assistance.
No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance.