Introduction Reproductive rights are not now, or have ever been considered a human rights issue, although the mainstream reproductive rights agenda has neglected and continues to neglect this key issue. Reproductive rights include the access to information regarding reproductive health, as well as autonomy in sexual and reproductive decision-making. In addition, one has the right to not be subjected to ill-treatment, and has the right to determine the number, spacing, and timing of one’s children. Though reproductive rights are considered universal, indivisible, and undeniable, this has not been true in regards to black women. The denial of this basic human right has no doubt had lasting societal effects.
Historical Implications
It has …show more content…
Take for instance the famous narrative of Rose Williams. When Rose was just sixteen years old, her slave master sent her to live in a cabin with a male slave named Rufus. Initially, Rose thought that her role was just to perform household chores for Rufus and a few other slaves. However, she soon learned the true nature of her assignment when Rufus crawled into her bunk one night. Rose hopped up from her bunk, startled and confused and preceded to ask Rufus just what the hell was going on. Rufus said for Rose to hush her mouth because her bunk was his bunk too. When Rose fended off Rufus’s sexual advances, she was reported to Master Hawkins. Hawkins then made it clear that she had no choice in the matter. Hawkins explained to Rose that he spent a large amount of money on her and he only did so because he knew Rose would eventually have more children, whom he would own and sell, compensating for his initial payment for Rose. Hawkins threatened Rose with a whipping at the stake if she didn’t do what he had asked of her. Rose reluctantly acceded to her master’s demands, but sadly the circumstances like the one of young Rose Williams was not uncommon during the period of slavery. This narrative shows that, masters controlled both women’s and men’s reproductive autonomy. Neither women nor men had a choice when it came to sexual encounters; they were often forced to engage in sexual …show more content…
The Eugenics movement was a program designed to encourage the procreation of a people of a superior stock. Certainly, blacks were never in the history of America considered superior and did not fit the criteria of positive eugenics. Blacks did however fit the criteria of negative eugenics which advocates reduced rates of sexual reproduction and sterilization. The IQ Test became the chief measurement psychologists used to deem blacks and other minority groups as less-desired and intellectually inferior. It was the fear that the inferior groups were reproducing too fast that prompted the Eugenics based practice of compulsory sterilization with the aim to improve society by eliminating its socially inadequate members. A plan to remedy race degeneration of the superior stock by sterilization of the inferior groups is nowhere more evident than in the case of Buck v. Bell. In its decision, the United States Supreme Court approved the sterilization act. Between 1929 and 1941, more than 2,000 eugenic sterilizations were performed each year in the United States. It has been estimated that a total of over 70,000 persons (men and women across various races) were involuntarily sterilized in America
Historical Implications
It has …show more content…
Take for instance the famous narrative of Rose Williams. When Rose was just sixteen years old, her slave master sent her to live in a cabin with a male slave named Rufus. Initially, Rose thought that her role was just to perform household chores for Rufus and a few other slaves. However, she soon learned the true nature of her assignment when Rufus crawled into her bunk one night. Rose hopped up from her bunk, startled and confused and preceded to ask Rufus just what the hell was going on. Rufus said for Rose to hush her mouth because her bunk was his bunk too. When Rose fended off Rufus’s sexual advances, she was reported to Master Hawkins. Hawkins then made it clear that she had no choice in the matter. Hawkins explained to Rose that he spent a large amount of money on her and he only did so because he knew Rose would eventually have more children, whom he would own and sell, compensating for his initial payment for Rose. Hawkins threatened Rose with a whipping at the stake if she didn’t do what he had asked of her. Rose reluctantly acceded to her master’s demands, but sadly the circumstances like the one of young Rose Williams was not uncommon during the period of slavery. This narrative shows that, masters controlled both women’s and men’s reproductive autonomy. Neither women nor men had a choice when it came to sexual encounters; they were often forced to engage in sexual …show more content…
The Eugenics movement was a program designed to encourage the procreation of a people of a superior stock. Certainly, blacks were never in the history of America considered superior and did not fit the criteria of positive eugenics. Blacks did however fit the criteria of negative eugenics which advocates reduced rates of sexual reproduction and sterilization. The IQ Test became the chief measurement psychologists used to deem blacks and other minority groups as less-desired and intellectually inferior. It was the fear that the inferior groups were reproducing too fast that prompted the Eugenics based practice of compulsory sterilization with the aim to improve society by eliminating its socially inadequate members. A plan to remedy race degeneration of the superior stock by sterilization of the inferior groups is nowhere more evident than in the case of Buck v. Bell. In its decision, the United States Supreme Court approved the sterilization act. Between 1929 and 1941, more than 2,000 eugenic sterilizations were performed each year in the United States. It has been estimated that a total of over 70,000 persons (men and women across various races) were involuntarily sterilized in America