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Jessica L. Waters

Assistant Professor of Justice, Law and Criminology, American University
Chapter Member: Maryland-Washington, D.C. SSN
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About Jessica

Waters' research focuses on reproductive rights law and policy. Overarching topics include abortion law and policy, state control of reproductive decision-making, and the intersections of religious liberty and reproductive rights. Waters serves as a frequent media expert for national and local media, and consults for legal and advocacy firms and organizations, policy makers, and colleges and universities.

Contributions | No Jargon Podcast | In the News | Publications

Contributions

Texas’s Title IX Case Is About a National Abortion Ban, Not Student Attendance

Commentary,

In the News

Guest on CBC News: About That with Andrew Chang, April 11, 2024.
Opinion: "Why Are We Surprised IVF Is Part of the Assault on Reproductive Freedom?," Jessica L. Waters, The Hill, February 28, 2024.
Opinion: "The Dangers of Spotlighting the ‘Perfect’ Abortion Patient," Jessica L. Waters, The Hill, January 31, 2024.
Opinion: "Pay Attention: The Abortion Pill Is the Next Target for a National Ban," Jessica L. Waters, The Hill, November 24, 2023.
Guest on LiveNOW from FOX, June 27, 2023.
Guest on LiveNOW from FOX, June 24, 2022.
Opinion: "After Texas Six-Week Abortion Ban, I’m Done Compromising With Anti-choice Extremists," Jessica L. Waters, USA Today, September 2, 2021.

Publications

"Untangling the Reproductive Rights and Religious Liberty Knot" (with Leandra Carrasco). Yale Journal of Law & Feminism 26, no. 2 (2014).

Explores how courts evaluate employees' Title VII pregnancy discrimination claims when the employer is a religious institution.

"Testing Hosanna-Tabor: The Implications for Pregnancy Discrimination Claims and Employees’ Reproductive Rights" Stanford Journal of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties 8 (2013).

Explores Title VII pregnancy discrimination claims brought by employees of religiously-affiliated entities.

"In Whose Best Interest? New Jersey Division of Youth and Family Services v. V.M. and B.G. and the Next Wave of Court-Controlled Pregnancies" Harvard Journal of Law and Gender 34, no. 1 (2011): 81.

Explores court-compelled c-sections and argues against considering a woman's refusal of medical intervention, such as a c-section, in child welfare cases, highlighting its potential impact on reproductive rights and women's autonomy.

"Beyond Religious Refusals: The Case for Protecting Health Care Workers’ Provision of Abortion Care" (with Stephanie Sterling). Harvard Journal of Law and Gender 34 (2011).

Examines whether healthcare professionals who wish to provide abortion care at religiously affiliated medical institutions should have similar conscience-based employment protections as medical professionals opposed to the provision of abortion care.