Eugenics and Planned Parenthood Essay - 1405 Words

When one contemplates the concept of eugenics, few think of modern contraception and abortion when in reality they are one in the same. The American Eugenics Society, founded in 1923, proudly proclaimed that men with incurable â€Å"conditions† should be sterilized. However these conditions were often none that could be helped, such as, one’s intelligence, race, and social class (Schweikart and Allen 529-532). The purpose of the society was to create the perfect class of men; elite in all ways. Likewise, Margaret Sanger’s feminist, contraceptive movement was not originally founded with this purpose. It was marketed as a way to control the population and be merciful to those yet to be born, again determined also by race and†¦show more content†¦A superior race determined by ethnic origin, intelligence, and even physical appearance. Margaret Sanger built upon Davenport’s movement through the concept of contraception rather than sterilization. Altho ugh her initial purpose was not to create a superior race, the contraception movement had an equally detrimental effect upon society. Fuelled by the anger from her mother’s death, Sanger wrote The Woman Rebel advocating controlling who could reproduce (Citation). Just as Davenport, she had criteria for those she wished to eliminate including, Jews, Blacks, and Chinese (Schweikart and Allen 529-532). She also believed that large families were wasteful and wrong. In her book Women and the New Race, Sanger stated that â€Å"the most merciful thing a large family could do to new baby is to kill it.† She believed he could not be properly loved and cared for and furthermore considered him a waste of resources(â€Å"Margaret Sanger: Family Planning†). Her articles were condemned illegal and she fled to England where she truly let her colors show. She established the Birth Control Review in 1917 and wrote pro eugenics articles including â€Å"Some Moral Aspects of Euge nics† and â€Å"Birth Control and Positive Eugenics†. The positive response in England encouraged Sanger to return to the U.S to market birth control in a more palatable fashion as family planning. ThisShow MoreRelatedEugenics Movement And The American Community1395 Words   |  6 Pagesprevent the impregnation of â€Å"bad genes† into the American community. Eugenics seemed to offer that solution. Eugenics still implements their version of â€Å"population control† and/or â€Å"family-planning† in our society today and we don’t even know it. We play along and support without even knowing why we’re playing along or what we are supporting. To help open the eyes of the majority, we need to go back in time and show how the â€Å"Eugenics Movement† started. How the country we love so much, did not love usRead MoreThe Supreme Court Decision Of Roe V. Wade1376 Words   |  6 Pagesin pro-life principles is because they believe that the legality and acceptance of abortion promotes an environment in which life is no longer considered sacred and no longer valued. Pro-lifers also recognize eugenic termination as a blatant form of discrimination against the disabled. Eugenic termination is the termination of a pregnancy due some sort of genetic abnormality that the baby is to be born with. Another way that discrimination is found in abortion is that abortion significantly affectsRead MoreEugenics Is The Idea Of Eugenics1714 Words   |  7 Pagesto eliminate undesired traits and disease? Eugenics is the idea that future generations can be improved through the selection of desirable characteristics. Some find eugenics to be taboo and artificial. Others find it to be the key to improving the gene pool of the human population (â€Å"Sir Francis Galton†). By learning more about the origin, use, and effects of eugenics, one can better speculate on its place in society today. The origin of eugenics goes back to ancient times. People have consistentlyRead MoreDr. Randall K. O’Bannon’S Winter Of 2013 Article â€Å"40 Years:1163 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"40 Years: Planned Parenthood Becomes Abortion Empire† published on the National Right to Life News website was another voiced opinion added to the debate of the controversial funding of Planned Parenthood. As director of education and research at National Right to Life Center (NRLC) and an active member of Manassas Assembly of God Church, O’Bannon has made his audience aware of his knowledge and passion of the subject, and has written many other articles concerning Planned Parenthood (PPFA), itsRead MoreMargaret Sanger s The Prevention Of African American Births1802 Words   |  8 PagesSanger. ïÆ'Ëœ Sanger planned the First World Population Conference in Geneva and invited known racists:, Henry Fairchild, Edward East, Clarence Little, and Raymond Pearl. ïÆ'Ëœ Sanger spoke at a Ku Klux Klan meeting. She claimed she acheived her goal and several similar organizations invited her to speak. ïÆ'Ëœ She complained foreigners were â€Å"ignorant of hygiene and the conditions of modern life.† Also noting that they lived in the slums and brought the value of cities down. Eugenics ïÆ'Ëœ She believed birthRead MoreThe Birth Control Of Women1501 Words   |  7 Pageswas passionate about the ability for women to control their fertility and own their sexuality. Sanger is credited with opening the first birth control clinic in the United States in 1916 (Planned Parenthood, 2013). She went on to found the American Birth Control League, which eventually became Planned Parenthood. Fighting for reproductive justice through advocacy and clinics was just the beginning, however, as Sanger had an ultimate goal: a birth control pill. Being the dream she always wantedRead MoreTaylor Meyers. Christine Capen . English 3. May 12, 2017.1076 Words   |  5 Pageschild for convenience is immoral and women should not be allowed to use abortion as a contraceptive method. Human beings born with disabilities, abnormalities, or physical limitations do not make them less human. Therefore, selective abortion or eugenic termination is past the point of discrimination. During the abortion procedure, fetuses feel pain. Dr. Maureen Condic, an associate professor of neurobiology and adjunct professor at the University of Utah School of Medicine stated that the â€Å"mostRead MoreEugenics And Scientific Racism : Margaret Sanger1174 Words   |  5 Pages Eugenics and Scientific Racism: Margaret Sanger The study or practice of attempting to ‘improve’ the human gene pool by encouraging the reproduction of people considered to have desirable traits and discouraging or preventing the reproduction of people considered to have undesirable traits; Eugenics. In the early 20th century, Eugenics grew popular among mainstream scientists, physicians and the generalRead MoreMargaret Sanger And Birth Control1060 Words   |  5 Pagesshe really started to kick off birth control. She started to reach out to black women of any age, making the stand that she did to slaves she became known for being racist and starting birth control. She had finally won everyones hearts with planned parenthood in 1939, (when it was founded) and she was no longer a radical feminist. Her role in birth control became largely horrific after world war 2 and she had to change her aspects on birth control. She had decided to travel to many other countriesRead MoreMargaret Sangers A Moral Necessity For Birth Control1588 Words   |  7 Pagesof 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