Historically, people deemed socially unacceptable have been institutionalized. Institutions dehumanize the very people they intend to serve by denying their basic human rights and stifling their opportunities to contribute meaningfully to society. People living in these establishments receive no compassion or love and, as a result, live traumatized lives. Previously, people were placed in institutions or asylums based on race, religion, sexual orientation and other societal categories. Women were placed in the Magdalene Asylums for being sexually active or having impure thoughts. The conditions of these asylums were similar to those found in institutions for the disabled in this country over the last few centuries. The institutional separation
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Sexually active women were institutionalized during the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries at the Magdalene Asylums. These asylums, present in Europe and North America, were for “fallen women.” This category included women who had sex outside of their marriage, were sexually abused, were unmarried and pregnant, or daughters of unmarried women. Even for a woman to think about her body was considered punishable. These women’s self-worth depleted day-by-day; over time they were reduced to little more than slaves. In the article, The Slaves of Magdalene, Johnston states, “Some 10,000 girls passed through these institutions; they worked for no pay and were known as the Magdalenes - fallen women” (1). Some of the women were able to come and go at their leisure, but this was not the case for the majority of them. For many of the women the asylum was more like a prison than a home. Like the disabled population in this country, these women were unfairly institutionalized and, due to this, denied the opportunity to live freely in society. They were never given the opportunity to share their gifts or talents with the world; instead they were condemned to an unjust imprisonment. The living conditions in the asylums can be related to institutions for the disabled in the United States because both places include overpopulation and mistreatment of
Sexually active women were institutionalized during the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries at the Magdalene Asylums. These asylums, present in Europe and North America, were for “fallen women.” This category included women who had sex outside of their marriage, were sexually abused, were unmarried and pregnant, or daughters of unmarried women. Even for a woman to think about her body was considered punishable. These women’s self-worth depleted day-by-day; over time they were reduced to little more than slaves. In the article, The Slaves of Magdalene, Johnston states, “Some 10,000 girls passed through these institutions; they worked for no pay and were known as the Magdalenes - fallen women” (1). Some of the women were able to come and go at their leisure, but this was not the case for the majority of them. For many of the women the asylum was more like a prison than a home. Like the disabled population in this country, these women were unfairly institutionalized and, due to this, denied the opportunity to live freely in society. They were never given the opportunity to share their gifts or talents with the world; instead they were condemned to an unjust imprisonment. The living conditions in the asylums can be related to institutions for the disabled in the United States because both places include overpopulation and mistreatment of