Andréa Becker, PhD

Andréa Becker is a postdoctoral research fellow at ANSIRH. Andréa is trained as a mixed-methods medical sociologist whose work centers on “contested medical practices,” or elements of medicine that are imbued with polarizing cultural meanings. As part of this agenda, Andréa examines how inequality manifests at every stage of human reproduction—from contraception and sterilization, abortion and birth, to sexual experiences. Her dissertation research and ongoing book project examine contemporary experiences with hysterectomy from a reproductive justice framework. This work draws on 100 qualitative interviews with people who have had or are considering a hysterectomy to manage a chronic illness and/or as part of gender affirming care for trans and nonbinary individuals. Andréa is currently an SFP Emerging Scholar in Family Planning and has been awarded the American Sociological Association SKAT Hacker Mullins Graduate Student Paper Award. Her research has been published in several journals, including Social Science & Medicine, Sex Roles, Contraception, and Sexual and Reproductive Health Matters. Her writing has been featured in The Washington Post, Vox, Teen Vogue, and other digital media outlets. She earned a BA in Sociology and Gender Studies from Wake Forest University, an MA in Sociology from Vanderbilt University, and a PhD from the CUNY Graduate Center where she was an NSF GRFP fellow.