Birthcontrol And The Work Of Margaret Sanger free essay sample

Essay, Research Paper A free race can non be born and no adult female can name herself free who does non have and command her organic structure. No adult female can name herself free until she can take consciously whether she will or will non be a female parent ( Sanger A 35 ) . Margaret Sanger ( 1870-1966 ) said this in one of her many controversial documents. The name of Margaret Sanger and the issue of birth control have virtually become synonymous. Birth control and the work of Sanger have done a great trade to alter the function of adult female in society, relationships between work forces and adult female, and the household. The development and spread of cognition of birth control gave adult females sexual freedom for the first clip, gave them an single individuality in society and a opportunity to work without fearing they were lending to the moral diminution of society by go forthing kids at place. If birth control and Sanger did so much good to alter the function of adult females in society why was birth control so controversial? Although birth control and other signifiers of preventives did non to the full become legal until the 1960? s they had been developed about 70 old ages earlier in the signifiers the are still prevailing today ( Birth Control in America ) . The modern rubber, or? # 8230 ; gum elastic was invented in 1870, but [ it ] was non the thin latex type? ? that is presently prevalent in our society ( Hoag Levins 2 ) . An early signifier of the birth control pill, which Margaret Sanger advocated, was besides in being in the really late 1800? s ( Birth Control in America ) . Contraception was considered an ethical issue, in that the bulk of Americans believed it was a signifier of abortion and therefor it was considered amoral ( Birth Control in America ) . The Torahs of Sanger # 8217 ; s twenty-four hours? # 8230 ; forced adult females into celibacy on one manus, or abortion on the other ( Sanger B 3 ) . Why did it take so long to distribute and legalise something with the potency to break the lives and life manners of adult females and households in the early 1900? s? It could be partly attributed to the attitude of politicians of the clip. President Theodore Roosevelt said # 8230 ; that the American people would be perpetrating racial self-destruction ( Birth Control in America ) . Roosevelt shared a belief, held by the bulk of politicians at the clip, that households of America should move, as Roosevelt put it retainers of the province ; and should supply Children to construct national strength ( Birth Control in America ) . This feeling in America was at the clip when the industrialisation was at its extremum in the US and get downing to take clasp else where in the universe. This in bend had prompted an weaponries race. There for many states felt kids were an of import portion of constructing a stronger military. National pride to all states was of import. European states were viing for infinite and power do to what Germany called The War of the Cradle ( Birth Control in America ) . This meant the German authorities had begun transfusing national pride and edifice its patriotism from the land up. This was at the threshold of World War One. However, it was non merely for patriotism that the impoverished were encouraged to reproduce. It was because kids meant cheap labour for the new industrial mills that were jumping up all over urban America and the universe. There was besides the ethical statement against birth control that seems to be largely tainted with male pride. It appeared to some people to be # 8230 ; increasing isolation and mobility of the single household ( Birth Control in America ) . It allowed people to command the size of their household therefore commanding their life manner as good. Fewer kids meant less work more money and more clip for adult females. With Margaret Sanger? s work, and birth command the household was reshaped in size from seven or eight kids to what is more common today, which is two to three kids. Birth control has ever been present in society even if it was merely a affair of Backyard abortions, with coat hangers. These could take to fatal complications ( Birth Control in America ) . Birth control was merely safer option offered by the medical universe. There is still a morality issue in abortion but why was it so with a type of birth control that prevented the job alternatively taking attention of a gestation after it had occurred? Possibly this is because there were immense promotions for adult females that could come out of the usage of birth control. However, merely two issues were idea of in earnest during the period of the sexual revolution Harmonizing to Sanger? Birth Control is the first of import measure [ a adult female ] must take towards the end of # 8230 ; [ going ] a adult males equal ( Sanger B 1 ) . The foremost of which was birth control for the first clip offered adult female sexual freedom. It was thought of by the great Sigmund Freud that work forces were the aggressive endocrine goaded existences whereas adult females were pas sive and were to accept their intent ( Birth Control in America ) . Margaret Sanger said about a married adult females holding left ( reproduction ) to [ her hubby ] she is exploited, driven and enslaved # 8230 ; by his sexual desires ; non merely did this do the sexual experiences non pleasant, but the hazard of going pregnant with out the agencies to back up other kids was ever at that place. After all It is she who the long load of transporting, bearing # 8230 ; and caring for? ? unwanted kids # 8230 ; and it is her bosom that will? ? weep and be crushed at the sight of the malnutrition and cryings that come from a kid born into poorness? ? with small to no hope of betterment ( Sanger A 35 ) . However, with birth control came the shifting of sexual intercourse from a giving on the female # 8217 ; s portion and a taking on the males to the construct of sharing in the experience. Women no longer had to conform to the stereotyped name of female parent and married woman. This was great intelligence for adult female across the state, but it was endangering to most work forces. Sanger would reason? # 8230 ; that sex look is the act of two [ and ] the duty of commanding the consequences should non be # 8230 ; ? set wholly on the shoulders of the adult female ( Sanger 35 ) . When sexual intercourse became shared and childbirth became an option the attitude shifted from kid baring to child raising ( Birth control in America ) . The 2nd major issue to originate form birth control during Sanger # 8217 ; s clip was the sense of independency that had entered the kingdom of feminism thanks to the option adult females now had to derive control of their ain organic structures. Women no longer had to # 8230 ; heighten the masculine liquors but to show the feminine ; [ the adult females s ] is non to continue a adult male made want but to make a human universe by the merger of the feminine component into all of its activities ( Sanger A 36 ) . The grow individuality of adult female and the assemblage support for the womens rightist cause can about ever be linked to the new power adult females had found at the tips of their fingers with birth control. A publicity of the feminine spirit as a individual and non as a retainer to her hubby could be seen in all of Sanger # 8217 ; s Hagiographas on why the pattern of birth control ? # 8230 ; though prudent # 8230 ; ? was so of import in making? # 8230 ; higher individualism # 8230 ; ? for adult females ( Sanger B 3 ) Another of import points which developed from spread cognition and usage of birth control was it gave adult females the ability to work with out go forthing kids at place. Peoples felt these kids would turn up? # 8230 ; motherless, fatherless, and moral-less # 8230 ; ? with no ego awareness merely to go ? # 8230 ; the following calamity of civilisation # 8230 ; ? ( Sanger C 3 ) ( Birth Control in America ) .A study done on New York City between the old ages of 1908 and 1910 showed? ? 48,420 small babies under one twelvemonth of age and 72,926 kids under five? ? had died ( Sanger C 3 ) . A adult female would work, hold kids to come place excessively, and so come place to a hubby with his ain wants and demands ( Sanger A 35 ) . That is what would go on in the big industrial households. The impoverished in bend became the ill-educated ( Mrs. Meehan ) . This in bend that the cognition of the manner one? s organic structure worked and the wear and tear of inordinate kid baring on one # 8217 ; s organic structure could non make these people ( Birth Control in America ) . Therefore, the rhythm of ignorance would get down once more. Yet with an optional away for adult females to command # 8230 ; for themselves whether they shall go female parents, under what conditions and when # 8230 ; would forestall unwanted kids and go # 8230 ; the key to the temple of autonomy for adult females in America ( Sanger ) . It is true that birth control may non hold been the exclusive factor in the adult females # 8217 ; s motion and freedom of ego, but without this cardinal component the battle would hold been longer and harder. Birth control changed household size and construction. It gave adult females a new sexual freedom with their ain organic structure. It gave adult females a voice and their ain individuality, which in bend allowed them to hold an individuality that separates from their partners. Birth control helped switch somewhat the balance of power from merely being masculine to shared between the sexes. Margaret did so much to convey the issue of birth control and its benefits in to the for font in her clip. Her Hagiographas and actions better the lives of adult females in America so, and today more so of all time. Margaret Sanger wrote the adult female # 8230 ; must emerge from her ignorance and presume her duty # 8230 ; of her ain organic structure and # 8230 ; the first measure is Birth Control. Through Birth Control [ the adult female ] will achieve voluntary maternity. Having attained this, the basic freedom of her sex, [ the adult female ] will discontinue to enslave herself? [ the adult female ] will non halt at piecing up the universe ; she will refashion it ( Sanger A 36 ) .