Body and Choice

Who's in Charge?

What does it really mean to have control over your own body, and who gets to make those decisions for American citizens? 

Fellows will explore how trauma, reproductive rights, gender identity, and social inequalities influence the choices people can make about their bodies. Fellows will examine the neuroscience of trauma, human trafficking, the history and evolution of sex work, and reproductive rights by connecting with survivors, forensic nurse examiners, legal and medical professionals, and activists. They will also attend court trials, explore policies like Title IX on college campuses, learn more about the debate around abortion access, gender-affirming care, FGM/C and reconstruction surgery, and racial disparities in pregnancy outcomes. 

By the end of the program, students will develop a deeper understanding of personal choice, how social systems influence people’s decisions, and how to think critically, empathically, and responsibly about complex issues that affect real lives.