Academic Affiliation: Springfield College (MA)
Title: “NFP is Pro-Women:” Catholic women & 21st century reproductive health
Abstract:
In 1968, Paul VI officially disagreed with a group of lay men and women who had advised him to reverse the Catholic ban on contraception. Most versions of Catholic women and reproduction focus on how many Catholic women disregard the teaching and use birth control pills. However, under that narrative is a story of Catholic women who delved into what became known as “Natural Family Planning.” Since the 1970s, they have been creating a strong network of women teaching other women how to track their cycles, pay attention to mucus patterns, and foster intimacy with their spouses outside of sexual contact. I will examine the lives of three women in the contemporary U.S. who are leaders and members of those networks. Their stories shed light on how lay women navigate their commitment to Catholicism and understandings of women’s health. This case study offers a range of questions about Catholicism, women’s leadership, and health autonomy.