The History of Reproductive Politics

1. The History of Reproductive Politics What is the difference between family planning and population control? How has this fit in with the history of imperialism and colonialism?

2. Reproductive Politics Before the Pill • Associated with the history of contraceptives and the rise of feminism • Early contraceptives: herbs, physical barriers, “French Letters” (condoms), abortifacients, spermicides (since 1600)

3. More Early History of Contraceptives

4. Hippocratic Oath • I SWEAR by Apollo the physician and AEsculapius, and Health, and All-heal, and all the gods and goddesses, that, according to my ability and judgment, I will keep this Oath and this stipulation -- to reckon him who taught me this Art equally dear to me as my parents, to share my substance with him, and relieve his necessities if required; to look upon his offspring in the same footing as my own brothers, and to teach them this art, if they shall wish to learn it, without fee or stipulation; and that by precept, lecture, and every other mode of instruction, I will impart a knowledge of the Art to my own sons, and those of my teachers, and to disciples bound by a stipulation and oath according to the law of medicine, but to none others. I will follow that system of regimen which, according to my ability and judgement, I consider for the benefit of my patients, and abstain from whatever is deleterious and mischievous. I will give no deadly medicine to any one if asked, nor suggest any such counsel; and in like manner I will not give to a woman a pessary to produce abortion. With purity and with holiness I will pass my life and practice my Art.

5. Modern day pessaries

6. Condoms

7. History of Condoms • Problems of early condoms-earliest discovered condom remains date to 17th century—probably used to prevent STD, but used since 3,000 B.C.-made of animal organs, could only be used once-use as contraceptive began in Middle Ages-often made of linen • Impact of vulcanization of rubber-could be used more than once, stored in wooden boxes • Significance of latex condoms • Women’s concerns about condoms

8. Early Barrier Contraceptives-Gold Cervical IDU, 1930s

9. 1930s Woman’s Kit with Douche and Pessaries

10. Early IUD coil

11. Marie Stopes In my own marriage I paid such a terrible price for sex - ignorance that I feel that knowledge gained at such a cost should be placed at the service of humanity.         "In this little book average, healthy, mating creatures will find the key to the happiness which should be the portion of each. It has already guided some to happiness, and I hope it may save some others years of heartache and blind questioning in the dark. Early Advocates of Modern Female Birth Control

12. Margaret Sanger, 1879-1966

13. Margaret Sanger history • Was a trained nurse and a political socialist • Lived in New York and became concerned about the plight of immigrant women. • In 1912 gave up nursing to disseminate birth control information, and write articles about health in Socialist publications. Then in 1913 went to Europe, founded a paper called Woman Rebel • Coined the term “birth control” to define the right of a woman to determine how many children she wanted. Also founded the National Birth Control League • Went to jail in 1916 because she set up the first birth control clinic in the U.S.

14. Margaret Sanger’s case for birth control, 1924 • Everywhere we look, we see poverty and large families going hand in hand. We see hoards of children whose parents cannot feed, clothe, or educate even one half of the number born to them. We see sick, harassed, broken mothers whose health and nerves cannot bear the strain of further child-bearing. We see fathers growing despondent and desperate, because their labor cannot bring the necessary wage to keep their growing families. We see that those parents who are least fit to reproduce the race are having the largest number of children; while people of wealth, leisure, and education are having small families

15. Sanger on role of the state in population policy • It is generally conceded by sociologists and scientists that a nation cannot go on indefinitely multiplying without eventually reaching the point when population presses upon means of subsistence. While in this country there is perhaps no need for immediate alarm on this account, there are many other reasons for demanding birth control.

16. Sanger’s criteria for parents not having ANY children • Parents who have an inheritable disease such as insanity, or syphilis, gonorrhea • Mother suffers from TB, kidney disease, heart disease, pelvic deformity • Parents who have had at least one child born with a deformity • Parents who are under 20 years old

17. Impact of Urbanization on Birth Rate • Greater opportunity to change sexual customs of arranged marriages, age at marriage, average number of children born • Greater opportunity to have sexual experiences outside of marriage both heterosexual and homosexual • Changing architecture of family life meant more privacy • New forms of urban entertainment encouraged sexual experimentation • In some countries this leads to higher birth rate, in others, a reduction in birth rate

18. Examples of Urbanization’s Impact • Argentina • Experienced massive European immigration after 1880 • Instituted mandatory public education for boys and girls • Fertility rate declined from 6.8 children per woman in 1869 to 5.3 per child in 1914 and 3.2 in 1947 • Lower fertility rate indication of birth control use as well as better education for women

19. Argentina

20. Traditional Islamic rules permitted up to 4 wives, but economic circumstances make this rare today Urbanization increasing and fertility rates dropping Morocco

21. World Urbanization Facts

22. World Fertility Facts