On June 24th, 2022, a majority of the U.S. Supreme Court declared in Dobbs v. Jackson that “the right to abortion is not deeply rooted in the Nation’s history and tradition.” In the aftermath of the ruling, millions of people find themselves with less reproductive autonomy and health-care providers are struggling to navigate a new legal playing field. At the same time, the opinion appears to invite challenges to other deeply held rights, such as birth control, marriage equality, and gender equality.

This conference seeks to bring together scholars who examine the intersectional legal histories of regulating and policing sex, gender, and reproduction. As attacks on gender and sexual equality are on the rise, advocates point towards history as justification for state-enforced heteronormativity and traditional gender roles. This conference addresses the court’s claim to diagnose Roe’s “faulty historical analysis” and invites attendees to examine the interwoven legal histories of gender, race, class, and sexuality that have shaped today’s sociolegal and political landscape. As women, migrants, LGBTQIA, and many more are left trying to navigate a post-Dobbs present, this conference aims to give us a better understanding of how past communities have challenged the law to guarantee greater equality for all.

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