Margaret Sanger: Women's Reproductive Rights Movement

Margaret Sanger was a birth rights advocate and in her later years, supported eugenics. Eugenics is the belief that all of the good human qualities can be the main characteristics instead of all the bad qualities in the human population. In the speech, Sanger believes that people with mental illnesses should have limited children or no children at all which proves that she supported negative eugenics and sterilization.

Elaine Tyler May delivers a concise historical retrospective and critical analysis of the development, evolution, and impact of the birth control pill from the 1950s to present day. In her book, America and the Pill, examines the relationship of the pill to the feminist movement, scientific advances, cultural implications, domestic and international politics, and the sexual revolution. May argues cogently that the mythical assumptions and expectations of the birth control pill were too high, in which the pill would be a solution to global poverty, serve as a magical elixir for marriages to the extent it would decline the divorce rate, end out-of-wedlock pregnancies, control population growth, or the pill would generate sexual pandemonium and ruin families. May claims the real impact of the pill—it’s as a tool of empowerment for women, in which it allows them to control their own fertility and lives.

In America and The Pill: A History of Promise, Peril, and Liberation, Elaine May Tyler examined the history of birth control in the United States. May traced the pill's conception and evolution the United States through to the twenty-first century. The book consisted of an introduction, seven chapters, and a conclusion. May approached the topic in the context of influence of suffragist and reformer Margaret Sanger's advocacy originating in the late Progressive Era and Cold War American ideology, through to the emerging movements of the sexual revolution and the feminist movement, including acknowledging political, religious, racial, socio-economic, and gender bias factors. May argued that the "promise" of the birth control pill did not solve social ills such as over population in developing countries or on the domestic front, guarantee marital bliss, or incite or perpetuate the sexual revolution. Rather, women that had the opportunity chose contraception for personal benefit as it empowered

After read this article “No Healthy Race without Birth Control” by Margaret Sanger who really makes my mind stuck out with two points: first is her title “No Healthy Race without Birth Control” and another she used birth Control as a vehicle for women to gain their freedom.

Margaret Sanger was a nurse turned educator who opened the first US birth-control clinic. She was arrested for this, but eventually was legally allowed to open another clinic. Sangers made an enormous contribution to woman today. Her contributions allowed woman to gain some control over the decision of having children. She did this in a world where woman had very little rights. Due to her contribution woman no longer had to rely on the man to avoid becoming pregnant. There have been great strides since Sangers contributions, yet there is more work to be done. One of the main things that comes to mind is the fact that some insurances do not cover birth control. This is something that should be covered under all health insurance. This is a woman’s rights issue that still needs to be fought for.

There becomes a time when one has to stand up for what they believe. Making their voices heard by many, hoping that the message is received in a positive light. Margaret Sanger (1879-1966) was a nurse, educator and a crusader for female reproductive rights. She attended White Plains Hospital as a nurse probationer. Working as a practical nurse in the woman’s ward, while working towards her registered nursing degree (Katz, n.d.). Margaret worked as a visiting nurse in the impoverished neighborhoods of New York City’s Lower East Side. After working with numerous patients that were poor, immigrant women suffering the health consequences of botched abortions and repeated pregnancies (“Margaret Sanger,” n.d.). Seeing women suffer was the catalyst which brought about her belief that the ability to limit family size was an essential component to maintaining women’s health and breaking the cycle of poverty. Therefore, Margaret redirected her attention from nursing to advocating for the use and legalization of birth control and contraceptives (Margaret Sanger,” n.d.). During this time, it was illegal to provide contraceptives information due to the Comstock Act passed by Congress in 1873. Left Margaret powerless and

In relation to the previous discussion on Margaret Sanger, this chapter will explore the theories of Sanger who wrote in the period of first wave feminism in relation to Betty Friedan; a second wave feminist and women’s activist who, like Sanger chooses to focus on the constraints of female biology despite the difference in time. This direct comparison allows a critical analysis between the parallels and differences of the first two waves of feminism on the grounds of bodily autonomy; investigating further whether these two waves are connected on these grounds and how significant they are in the different time frames. Friedan positioned herself within society as one of the most influential figures to contribute to the development of feminism

Margaret Sanger, a feminist social reformer, argued that “women cannot be on equal footing with men until they have complete control over their reproductive functions”. Her argument improved our everyday life by providing more information on contraceptives, giving women the power to control their bodies, and changing the role of women and men. Margaret Sanger was determined and dedicated to provide women with information about contraceptives which eventually improved the lives of many women.

Margaret Sanger, an American birth control activist, made an announcement titled “The Children’s Era,’ at the first national birth-control conference in March of 1925. In this speech, Sanger attempts to influence her ideas and beliefs on the importance of birth control and contraceptives to the health of society’s women. She also vividly explains how controlled childbearing would apply to children who would eventually be born. Margaret Sanger distinctly uses rhetorical devices which greatly support her dedication to allow women to control their lives.

The argument over a woman’s right to choose over the life of an unborn baby has been a prevalent issue in America for many years. As a birth control activist, Margaret Sanger is recognized for her devotion to the pro-choice side of the debate as she has worked to provide sex education and legalize birth control. As part of her pro-choice movement, Sanger delivered a speech at the Sixth International Neo-Malthusian and Birth Control Conference in March of 1925. This speech is called “The Children’s Era,” in which she explains how she wants the twentieth century to become the “century of the child.”

"The Need for Birth Control" (1922) written by Margaret Sanger a feminist and birth control activist. Sanger started out nursing before she released in 1912 an article in a newspaper called "What Every Girl Should Know" starting her campaign to educate women about sex, during this time she was nursing women on the lower east side and treated many women who had back-alley abortions or tried to terminate the pregnancy themselves. This motivated Sanger to begin fighting to make birth control information and contraceptives available to women. In 1914 Sanger had published "The Rebel Woman" a feminist magazine that promoted women's rights to birth control, By doing this she was going against the Comstock act of 1873 and faced a possible five- year jail sentence. Instead of facing jail time Sanger fled to England and worked in the women's movement and researched birth control. In 1915, Sanger returned to America and within a year opened the first birth control clinic in America. During 1921, Sanger established the American Birth Control League ( a precursor to today's Planned Parenthood Federation of America) and opened the

In 1960, the first birth control pill was put on the market. This was the first time a woman’s reproductive health was in her own control. Ever since the 1900’s women have been fighting for the right to their own reproductive rights (“The Fight for Reproductive Rights”). With the upcoming presidential election the right to obtain birth control and other contraceptives for women could be jeopardized, and taken out of the control of the woman. Thus, the history of birth control, the statistics of how it affects today’s society, why women should have the ability to obtain it easily, and how if outlawed it would not only hurt women, but also the economy are all important topics in the women’s rights movement and very relevant in modern day society.

Trying to prevent neglected children and back-alley abortions, Margaret Sanger gave the moving speech, “The Children’s Era,” in 1925 to spread information on the benefits and need for birth control and women's rights. Margaret Sanger--activist, educator, writer, and nurse--opened the first birth control clinic in the United States and established organizations that evolved into the Planned Parenthood Federation of America. During most of the 1900’s, birth control and abortions were illegal in the United States, causing women to give birth unwillingly to a child they must be fully responsible for. This caused illness and possible death for women attempting self-induced abortion. Sanger uses literary devices such as repetition and analogies

The Progressive Era was a time of change across America, a time when the country chose to reform into an industrialized urban country. Prosperity was widespread across America, so people turned to social issues to try to expand. Minorities in particular became a focus of this time period, and everyone tried to find a way to integrate them into society. The Progressive Era marked a turning point for women in America because it was when women took their values that they taught in the home and applied them to social, political, and labor issues.

With the introduction of birth control pills in 1960, women had to fight with the law for the decision to reproduce or not to reproduce. Women like Margaret Sanger would fight for women’s right to use the contraceptive, birth control. Women like Norma Leah McCorvey, also known as Jane Roe, in the famous Roe v Wade case in 1973 for the right to have an abortion. These are only two women out of many who paved the way for women to stand up for the right to make reproduction choices for their