Five College Consortium

Since the 1990s Latin America has witnessed increasing societal and political debates over sexual and reproductive rights. Issues such as contraceptives, abortion, gay marriage, transgender rights, sexual education and assisted reproductive technology have risen to the top of some countries' agendas after decades of silence, taboos, and restrictive or non-existent legislation. The course aims to provide a survey of sexual and reproductive rights in Latin America comparing the region as a whole with other areas of the world, while at the same time highlighting the disparities that exist within it. The course analyzes the multiple factors behind the current policies focusing particularly on the role of women and gay rights movements in advancing more liberal legislation. In addition, we will look at the role of the Catholic Church in these debates and the way it impedes legislative change that goes against their doctrine from happening. Among the cases we will explore are Ecuador and Bolivia's inclusion of sexual and reproductive rights in their constitutions, Argentina's gay marriage and gender identity legislation, Mexico city's decriminalizing of abortion and Peru's coercive sterilization program of indigenous populations.