By: Jasmine L. Rangel
The Birth Control Movement was put into place in order for women to have control over their childbearing, have sex for pleasure, and have freedom over their own body. Prior to this, husbands had just about every ounce of control over their wive’s bodies and childbearing. Sex was not something women were 'allowed' to enjoy. Rather it was something that brought forth children.
Emma Goldman was an activist and writer. When it was taboo for women to talk about contraception, she was one of the first to do just that.
Margaret Sanger, inspired by Emma Goldman herself, wrote and spoke about the right of a woman to choose for herself, that is to choose when she bears children. At the time of her writings of contraception there was a law in place forbidding 'obscene' language. Due to her writing topics, Margaret Sanger had to leave home in order to avoid being arrested. It was her belief that "It is none of society's business what a woman shall do with her body."
In 1916 Margaret Sanger returned to Brooklyn, smuggling in Diaphragms from a Dutch doctor she had met, and opened the first birth control clinic in the U.S. A couple days after this opening, Sanger was arrested.
I created this piece because I believe that women were not always given fundamental rights. It is crucial that society keeps in place the access that women have to different forms of contraception, abortions, and essentially, a CHOICE.
Sources
By, HERBERT M. "Margaret Sanger, Warrior for Women's Rights: Woman of Valor Margaret Sanger and the Birth Control Movement in America by Ellen Chesler Illustrated. 639 Pages. Simon & Schuster. $27.50." New York Times (1923-Current file), Jun 17, 1992, pp. 1. ProQuest, http://login.ezproxy1.lib.asu.edu/login?url=https://www-proquest-com.ezproxy1.lib.asu.edu/historical-newspapers/margaret-sanger-warrior-womens-rights/docview/108955932/se-2?accountid=4485.
DuBois, Ellen Carol, and Lynn Dumenil. Through Women's Eyes: an American History: with Documents. Bedford/St. Martin's, 2019.
GUY IRVING BURCH, Legislative Secretary National Committee on Federal Legislation for Birth,Control. "BIRTH CONTROL MOVEMENT.: ADVOCATE OF PRACTICE REPLIES TO CARDINAL HAYES'S SERMON." New York Times (1923-Current file), Dec 12, 1935, pp. 24. ProQuest, http://login.ezproxy1.lib.asu.edu/login?url=https://www-proquest-com.ezproxy1.lib.asu.edu/historical-newspapers/birth-control-movement/docview/101264692/se-2?accountid=4485.