Disability Justice is Reproductive Justice
For information on accessibility in our clinic space, click here.
EVERYBODY should have the right to make their own decisions about their bodies, sexuality, and reproductive lives. This is a core principle of both reproductive justice and disability justice.
Our Statement on Disability Justice
At Choice in Health Clinic, we are proud of our unwavering commitment to the principles of bodily autonomy (the right to make your own decision about your body) and self-determination (the right to make your own decisions about how to live your life). Our vision of the future is one where everyone has the support and knowledge they need to make informed choices about their lives and health, free from oppression and stigma. That’s why we are proud to support disability justice and strongly believe that disability justice is an essential part of reproductive justice.
The disability community knows all too well what happens when reproductive justice is not respected. Like many other countries, Canada has a long and shameful history of ignoring disabled people’s rights to bodily autonomy and self-determination. From the 1920s to 1970s, several Canadian provinces operated eugenics programs that carried out the forced sterilizations of thousands of people, most of them Indigenous disabled women. Disabled people (and especially disabled women and girls) have also been denied access to adequate sex education and sexual and reproductive health care despite being more likely to experience sexual assault.
As an abortion clinic, we also acknowledge that many disabled people have been subjected to forced abortions because of ableist assumptions that disabled people are unable to parent children, or ableist fears that disabled people could pass on their disability to their children. We condemn any attempt to control disabled people’s sexuality and reproduction. We also strongly support disabled people’s right to have the resources they need to live independent lives, including raising children if they choose to do so.
Disability justice is reproductive justice, and we stand in solidarity with the disability community in their fight against ableism.
We know that words without action are meaningless, which is why at Choice in Health we are taking concrete steps to improve accessibility at our clinic.
Completed
Work with an Accessibility Consultant to review our policies and practices on accessibility, and train staff about Disability Justice Late 2020
Launch our new, easier to use, and AODA compliant website May 2021
Create a webpage dedicated to accessibility, and update regularly to maintain accuracy June 2021
Added cleanable STIM toys available for folks at the clinic to support neurodivergent staff + clients July 2021
Revise our job descriptions to ensure they include accessibility information August 2021
Post job openings in venues targeted to disabled candidates January 2022
In our budget negotiations with the Ministry of Health and Longterm Care, focus on accessibility improvements as a distinct priority – not a component of our general upgrades and repairs. This was unsuccessful but we will continue to push for this change January 2022
In Progress
Produce a video tour of our clinic for our website, so clients know what to expect when they come in Delayed to 2023
Formally review our accessibility and disability justice commitments every two years Delayed to 2023
Here are some accessibility considerations when coming to the clinic
The nearest subway station to CIHC is Keele, which is accessible
CIHC is located on the third floor of an office building with an elevator
Although there is a door-opening button on the building’s front door, this button is often broken
There is no door-opening button on the clinic’s front door
Within the clinic, the hallways are 49 inches wide, door frames are 33 ½ inches wide.
The clinic’s washrooms are large enough to accommodate most mobility aids but don’t have accessibility features such as transfer bars
American Sign Language interpretation available on request
Most languages interpretation available on request
We have not yet made written materials in alternate formats, however we are working on it and will do so on request.