2020’s protests spiked an interest in researching the negative impacts of tear gas. A new study at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health and Planned Parenthood surveyed 1,200 menstruating protesters nationwide.
83% of participants reported adverse reproductive health outcomes. Those with five or more days of exposure experienced 2.6 times more harmful effects, from uterine cramping to early bleeding.
Nearly 1,400 people also experienced pregnancy-related arrests in the past 16 years. The criminalization of abortion and miscarriage cannot be separated from this study.
Criminalization within the reproductive health space intersects with the criminalization of protest, specifically harming Black Americans seeking liberation from police violence.
Police departments may revise their policies to stop using tear gas, but that doesn’t mean it won’t be used against us in the future. If you or a loved one has been exposed to tear gas and are experiencing adverse effects, this study is critical to know.
But why is a war tactic being used against protesters in the first place?
Criminalizing protest and reproductive health advocacy isn’t neutral. The state’s definition of “crime” isn’t neutral. The intention is to diminish our autonomy and control our behavior because those in power believe it is “wrong.”
But remember: we define what is right for us and what we need for our liberation.