Lawmakers and reproductive health advocates assembled Tuesday outside the Mississippi Capitol to display a 20-foot inflatable IUD named Freeda, a symbol of reproductive autonomy. The event aimed to urge the Legislature to protect Mississippians’ rights to contraception, amid shifting political dynamics nationwide, according to organizers.
Freeda has traveled to six countries, more than 20 states, and over 50 cities, including being featured twice at Burning Man, said Americans for Contraception, the touring group behind the display. The event coincided with the anniversary of the 1965 Supreme Court decision in Griswold v. Connecticut, which recognized a constitutional right to contraception based on the right to privacy.
Democratic lawmakers, including Rep. Zakiya Summers and Sen. Kamesha Mumford of Jackson, spoke about ongoing efforts to secure reproductive rights. Summers, who introduced legislation to guarantee contraception access last year, said, “My children will have fewer rights than I had if we don’t do something about it.” Mumford, who shared her personal experience using birth control to start a family, plans to reintroduce the legislation next year.
Experts note that the landscape of reproductive health in the U.S. has shifted significantly since the overturning of Roe v. Wade. Mary Ziegler, a law professor and abortion historian at UC Davis, said anti-abortion groups have allied with pronatalists and others seeking to restrict contraception access, especially after the Supreme Court’s 2022 decision.
Despite the safety and importance of modern birth control methods, research and access have stagnated. Ziegler warned that efforts to restrict contraception could have unintended consequences, especially as federal programs like Title X face potential shifts away from supporting family planning services. Advocates emphasize that contraception is vital for economic mobility, gender equality, and improving maternal and infant health outcomes, particularly in Mississippi, which has some of the worst health statistics in the country.
Mississippi’s restrictions on reproductive health could hinder not only the ability to prevent pregnancy but also the opportunity to start families, said Mumford. She added, “People aren’t one dimensional, and neither is the science that we use to improve their quality of life.”
Jon Ross Myers is the executive editor and publisher of the Mississippi News Network, Mississippi's largest digital only media company. He can be reached at editor@tippahnews.com
