About B!llikens for Reproductive Justice

B!llikens for Reproductive Justice (BRJ) was founded in January 2020 in response to the lack of reproductive and sexual health resources available to SLU students. We are a pro-choice, sex-positive, reproductive justice organization. BRJ is an anti-racist, queer-affirming organization that strives to provide sexual and reproductive health services and education for people of all genders, identities, and backgrounds. 

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Reproductive Justice is a term invented by Black women in 1994 in response to the reality that the women's rights movement, lead by white, wealthy women, could not defend the rights of women of color, other marginalized women, and trans folks. From this reality, the reproductive justice movement was born. The movement upholds the human right to maintain personal bodily autonomy, to have or to not have children, and to raise children in safe and healthy communities. This framework acknowledges the various identities and systems that intersect to influence an individual’s access to reproductive and sexual rights, health care, and education. Importantly, reproductive justice is about access, not just choice. Mainstream movements paint themselves as "pro-choice", which is necessary, but not sufficient. Without access, there is no choice. Reproductive justice also expands beyond just abortion access, as while crucial, marginalized women often also struggle to access contraception, sex ed, STI prevention and care, resources against sexual and intimate partner violence, prenatal and pregnancy care, safe communities, adequate income, etc. Finally, reproductive justice is a human right. 

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Reproductive justice can only be achieved through the analysis of power systems, understanding and addressing intersecting oppression, centering the most marginalized, and through the understanding that all oppression of all people impacts all of us.

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As an organization operating under this framework, we strive to address issues of reproductive and sexual health and their intersections, including, but not limited to, race, economics, immigration, class, disability, queerness, gender identity, sex workers’ rights, sexual and partner violence, and more. We aim to accomplish this via direct provision of safer sex supplies, education and campus programming, and advocacy for policy change to realize this vision of reproductive justice on SLU's campus and beyond while continuously acknowledging the structural oppression that underlies a lack of access to reproductive and sexual health care.

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We affirm that all decisions regarding sexuality should be made freely and independently. We uphold all sexual activity between consenting adults as healthy and positive, and celebrate all sexual orientations and gender identities. BRJ also believes people deserve the information, resources, and access in order to make informed and safe decisions free of coercion.

We hold consent to be sober, freely-given, reversible, informed, specific, and enthusiastic and demand it in all interactions. We do not tolerate power structures that perpetuate sexual and intimate partner violence, and we stand with survivors.

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B!llikens for Reproductive Justice is the only provider of safer sex supplies, including condoms, dental dams, female condoms, and lube on SLU's campus. All products are provided free of charge and without judgement. We are also the only source for comprehensive information on sexual health, pregnancy, and abortion services. As a result, we receive no endorsement or support from SLU, and operate as a financially independent organization that relies on donations and generous community partners to continue our work. While SLU does not support us, we believe that SLU's founding on the principle of cura personalis, or care for the whole person, calls for active engagement and implementation of reproductive justice and our mission.

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