Birth Control: The Rise of the Modern Woman Jordan James His 304 Dr. Elizabeth Payne December 5, 2014The Rise of the Modern Woman The topic of birth control has been discussed continuously throughout American history for over a century. The concept of birth control at the time, was viewed as a dangerous practice and was seen as harmful to the public, while at the same time viewed by women 's suffragists as a right equally as symbolic of freedom to citizens as the American flag. Birth control was not only a way to participate in sexual activity without “suffering the consequences of raising children” as many people believed that it was for. But in reality, being able to control if and when a woman was to get pregnant …show more content…
These ideas led to a strong fight against birth control which included intensive sexual education courses and “extra-domestic” activities for women of all ages. These efforts were carried on to eventually create the Comstock Act(Tone 147). Doctors who disapproved even went as far as to say that the method of “coitus interrupts” was harmful to a woman’s uterus as well as caused stress and paranoia, and should not be practiced(Friedman 7). Ultimately, contraception was frowned upon because sex itself was frowned upon. People did not openly discuss their sex lives and it was not seen as a desire; it was practiced for one purpose and that was to procreate(Friedman 7). Of course, we all know now that sexual desires are very real and natural and that in those times it just was not seen that way, for women. If women of that era did not want to have children, the only way they could keep from it was to not have sex. Obviously, sex out of wedlock was unthinkable(Friedman 7). The Comstock Act, passed in 1873, made birth control illegal and declared it a crime to “distribute information about it”(Friedman 7). This law made mailing or distributing any type of birth control propaganda illegal. These conservative activists did many campaigns where they related birth control and abortion to murder(Tone 147). In Connecticut, one of the more strict laws stated that “any person who will use any drug, medicinal article or instrument for the purpose of preventing conception shall be
Today, the availability of birth control is taken for granted. There was a time, not long passed, during which the subject was illegal (“Margaret Sanger,” 2013, p.1). That did not stop the resilient leader of the birth control movement. Margaret Sanger was a nurse and women’s activist. While working as a nurse, Sanger treated many women who had suffered from unsafe abortions or tried to self-induce abortion (p.1). Seeing this devastation and noting that it was mainly low income women suffering from these problems, she was inspired to dedicate her life to educating women on family planning—even though the discussion of which was highly illegal at the time (p.1). She was often in trouble with
Public discussions of birth control were criminalized under the Comstock Act of 1873 because people believed it was immoral. Margaret Sanger, who had opened the first birth control clinic in 1916 in spite of the Comstock Act of 1873, was a feminist and advocate of eugenics. After serving prison time, Sanger returned publicly and illegally with drive to present a strong argument that defended the moral use of birth control. Prior to her morally controversial 1921 speech, Sanger was arrested in New York for her intent to advocate public knowledge pertaining to birth control. Although the ethical nature of using birth control is still controversial in America, Margaret Sanger’s 1921 speech “A Moral Necessity for Birth Control” was undoubtedly a catalyst for American women to be empowered with the flexibility to choose when to procreate, thus allowing women the economic ability to escape oppression. As a result of such empowerment, I will argue that the speech’s sententious delivery of the morality of birth control use was causal to the increased demographic of women with professional degrees.
In the mid-1800s American women united to participate in social reforms movements more than ever before. This movement’s involved: struggle to abolish slavery, outlaw alcohol, and ban child labor among others (Rupp, 1987). Despite the failure of the women's movement to attain one among its primary goals, the passage of the ERA , the movement overall accomplished an excellent deal. For several women activists, management over their bodies was a central issue in the campaign. Women needed to be liberated to explore and control their gender, while not being judged by society. An oversized a part of management during this arena concerned having access to birth control, or contraception ways (Fishman, 1998). The contraception pill, associate inoculant,
The Birth Control Movement of 1912 in the United States had a significant impact on Women’s Reproductive Rights. Women in the 1800s would frequently die or have complications during or after childbirth. Even if the woman would have died, they would still have a great amount of children. As the years progressed into the 1900s, the amount of children being born dropped. Because of this, birth control supplements were banned, forcing women to have a child that she was not prepared for or did not want to have in the first place.
In 1917, Margaret Sanger was arrested for distributing contraception pessirie to a immigrant women. Margaret Sanger, was a nurse, mother, sex educator, writer and most importantly an activist. Sanger, fought for women’s rights which one of the main one was to legalize birth control in America. During the process of fighting Sanger establish the American Birth Control League, now called Planned Parenthood. Sanger fund money to Grisworld the created of the hormonal birth control pill the dream of Sanger. Sanger, “wanted to have it all, and was birth control as the necessary condition for the resolution of their often conflicting needs.” (Chesler 25). Birth control has always been a colossal issue since it was invention in the 1960s by Griswold and has remained and extraordinarily controversial topic since. Therefore, if teenagers get their parent’s consent for birth control, teens will still manage to get their way and have sex, parent will think they are unhealthy, and last some parent would want their female teenager conserve until marriage. Meanwhile, if they do not get the parental consent, teenage will be encouraged to be more sexually active, female teenage will know they are safe on not getting pregnant, and it will encourage female be promiscuous.
Because of the Comstock Law of 1873, the mailing of information regarding contraception or devices to perform contraceptive techniques was prohibited. This was a major obstacle for Margaret Sanger and Planned Parenthood. As a result of the 1936 court case U.S. v. One Package, the mailing of contraceptive-related materials among physicians was legalized (Planned Parenthood). This turning point signified that contraceptives were finally beginning to be regarded as an important area of medicine. The mailing of contraceptive material to married couples and single adults was not legalized until 1965 and 1972 respectively (Contraception History). The government continued to liberalize its other policies regarding contraception as a result of Sanger’s influence.
The battle for reproductive rights began well over a hundred years ago. At a time when families were producing more children than they could afford to feed, many women were seeking primitive forms of birth control and undergoing abortions. It was in the 1860s that a postal inspector turned politician named Anthony Comstock, in partnership with the Young Men’s Christian Association, set out on a crusade to condemn all forms of birth control and any kind of abortion by claiming they violated “anti-obscenity laws” (Baer). These men eventually succeeded and created the Comstock Laws in 1873 that prohibited all “sales, advertising, or information on birth control” (Baer).
Public discussions of birth control were criminalized under the Comstock Act of 1873 because people believed it was immoral. Margaret Sanger, who had opened the first birth control clinic in 1916 despite the Comstock Act of 1873, was a feminist and advocate. After serving prison time, Sanger returned publicly and illegally with drive to present a strong argument that defended the moral use of birth control. Prior to her morally controversial 1921 speech, Sanger was arrested in New York for her intent to advocate public knowledge pertaining to birth control. Although the ethical nature of using birth control is still controversial in America, Margaret Sanger’s 1921 speech “A Moral Necessity for Birth Control” was undoubtedly a catalyst for
Following the release of The Woman Rebel, Anthony Comstock spearheaded an anti-birth control campaign with the aid of the Society for the Suppression of Vice, “vice” as Comstock described it “intemperance, gambling, and evil reading”(6,1,122). Document 2 is an interview with Comstock by Mary Alden Hopkins of Harper’s Weekly on the issue of birth control and the laws against its distribution and publication. Comstock approaches the birth control issue as a religious zealot, arguing that it is the moral and spiritual obligation of the people to stray from “vice” and practice abstinence as the only means of family planning. Comstock’s conservative rhetoric appealed to the “Victorian” era principles of “self-control” and moral fortitude. Moreover, Comstock employs the ideology of “rule by fear,” by
Birth control has been a controversial topic since the 1960’s, when the pill arose on the scene and gained popularity. Men and women of certain religious faiths have sought to prevent other women from using birth control. However, most women want to be able to choose when the time is right for them to have a child. This is why birth control is essential, because it allows women and couples in general the freedom to choose and plan their families. In many cases the need to control women by controlling their access to birth control goes all the way to the federal government. The federal government determines what types of birth control are allowed on the market and who has access to them. Some Presidential administrations look more kindly
The rapid population growth during the Industrial age was not being checked. It was illegal to obtain any type of birth control or abortion. Throughout early history infanticide was a method of contraception as it was the only way to limit the amount of children to raise and keep the. Population from exploding. The great amount of women becoming pregnant of due to lack of birth control was staggering. Sadler worked tirelessly to bring the right for woman’s contraception. By 1913 women’s death from childbirth exceeded any other cause of death. Sadler stated, “America has a law since 1873 which prohibits by criminal statute the distribution and regulation of contraceptive measures. It follows, therefore, that America stands at the head of all nations in the huge number of abortions.”pgf.67. Sadler sought to have the development of a contraceptive pill. She had the assistance of Gregory Pincus who was willing to do the research to develop a pill, and Katherine McCormick who funded the scientific search for a pill. 1960 the first birth control was developed and approved by the FDC to be used as a means of contraction. Her life work was realized prior her death. This development changed the world of population growth and gave a woman a right to control her own desires for child birth or
One of the many purposes of birth control is to avoid unwanted pregnancies. In this day and age the decision to take birth control should be a mere right and not a debate, but society has still not fully accepted the use of birth control even though “ninety-eight percent of women use birth control at some point in their lives” (Milligan, 2014, p. 3). Birth control has unfortunately earned a negative stigma because it allows women to have sex without getting pregnant and that is frowned upon throughout parts of society. Some members of society have even compared the use of birth control to abortion. Women who choose to take birth control should not be judged and the use of birth control amongst women should no longer be considered disgraceful. The reliable access to birth control should be made available to all women no matter their race, age, and class.
“The Pill” is often seen as the symbol of the sexual revolution. But the creation of birth control actually came from President Lyndon B. Johnson’s social
At the beginning of the twentieth century, it was illegal to distribute information about birth control in the US because it was thought to encourage promiscuity; advocates of birth control, in contrast, successfully argued that a woman should have control over her reproductive capabilities.” this line shows that censorship causes damage distributing information about birth control could have saved women from unwanted
This film is a documentary that recounts the history of the oral contraceptive in the United States. The movie features personal accounts from the first women to have access to the pill. It shows how harnessing female hormones into a little pill unleashed a social revolution unlike any other in United States’ history. It discusses the social impact of birth control pill for women in the United States. It looks at religion and its influence on our society and culture.