Margaret Sanger, from her short-lived periodical The Woman Rebel (1914): http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/5084/
The following snippet captures the flipside of "free motherhood," the concept of "sexual slavery" presented in the context of Sanger's critique of marriage. Birth control, according to Sanger, would actually result in better marriages:
"That there exists in all Nature an
attraction which takes place between particles of bodies and unites to form a
chemical compound is not doubted. This same attraction exists in men and women
and will, unconsciously perhaps, cause them to seek a mate just as other
organisms do. Priests and marriage laws have no power or control over this
attraction nor can they make desirable a union where this attraction does not
exist. Marriage laws abrogate the freedom of woman by enforcing upon her a
continuous sexual slavery and a compulsory motherhood. Marriage laws have been
dictated and dominated by the Church always and ever upon the unquestionable
grounds of the wisdom of the Bible."
And check out these responses from women to Sanger's campaign: http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/5083
Some more articles by birth control advocates like socialist Emma Goldman and Ella Dearborn, whose article illustrates how eugenic arguments were used to support birth control: http://ehistory.osu.edu/sites/ehistory.osu.edu/files/mmh/clash/NewWoman/Documents/birthcontrol.htm
Goldman's rhetoric is fascinating. Here she is using the image of the machine to critique compulsory motherhood, implying a larger critique of the capitalist state: "
The defenders of authority
dread the advent of a free motherhood lest it rob them of their prey. Who would
fight wars? Who would create wealth? Who would make the policeman, the jailer,
if woman were to refuse the incriminate breeding of children? The race, the
race! shouts the king, the president, the capitalist, the priest. The race must
be preserved, though woman be degraded to a mere machine,-- and the marriage
institution is our only safety valve against the pernicious sex-awakening of
woman. But in vain these frantic efforts to maintain a state of bondage."
Dearborn: "Our
first step in racial uplift is teaching Birth Control, thus limiting the unfit.
The second is eugenics--the art of breeding up; teaching those fitted to bear
children how to have the best babies possible; teaching them the advantages and
disadvantages of heredity and of proper care and training of the child in the
right kind of home. Lack of judicious home training is a large factor in the
production of criminals. Who have a right to bear children? Any couple who want
them, if they are healthy, intelligent and financially able to properly care
for them…. Sterilize those not fitted to propagate, and teach Birth Control,
which leads to sacred motherhood and welcome children, and America shall lead
the world."
These kinds of arguments were occurring at the same time as a growing movement to dramatically restrict immigration to America.
After reading the responses from women to Sanger’s campaign, all I can think is…wow. I was absolutely shocked! I have always equated having children with happiness, motherly love, and the best thing in the world. Reading these women’s descriptions and pleas was heartbreaking. Many of them mentioned wanting to die or commit suicide, just to prevent having more children. I cannot begin to fathom the desperation they must have experienced. Another thing that struck me was how young many of the mothers were, or how young they were when they began having children. By my age, some of them had 3 or 4 children! My own grandmother had 3 girls by the time she was my age. I think birth control is something many people take for granted these days. Even if you forget or neglect to use protection, the morning after pill is now available. It was very eye-opening to read about the conditions these women were in and the true need there was for birth control. It certainly made me thankful to live in a society in which I am not expected to make myself available upon command and don’t have to worry about how I will raise children yet!
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