Pushing for Midwives: Homebirth Mothers and the Reproductive Rights Movement

With the increasing demand for midwives, activists are lobbying to loosen restrictions that deny legal access to homebirth options. In "Pushing for Midwives," Christa Craven presents a nuanced history of womenOCOs reproductive rights activism in the U.S. She also provides an examination of contemporary organizing strategies for reproductive rights in an era increasingly driven by OC consumer rights.OCO

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An historical and ethnographic case study of grassroots organizing, "Pushing for Midwives" is an in-depth look at the strategies, successes, and challenges facing midwifery activists in Virginia. Craven examines how decades-old race and class prejudices against midwives continue to impact opposition toOCoas well as divisions withinOCowomenOCOs contemporary legislative efforts for midwives. By placing the midwifery struggle within a broader reproductive rights context, "Pushing for Midwives" encourages activists to reconsider how certain political strategies have the potential to divide women. This reflection is crucial in the wake of neoliberal political-economic shifts that have prioritized the rights of consumers over those of citizensOCoparticularly if activists hope to maintain their commitment to expanding reproductive rights for all women. "

Christa Craven is an Assistant Professor of Anthropology and Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies at the College of Wooster.