MargaretMargaret SangerSanger

Women and Women and thethe New Race New Race((19201920))

"When a motherhood becomes the fruit of a deep yearning, "When a motherhood becomes the fruit of a deep yearning, not the result of ignorance or accident, its children will not the result of ignorance or accident, its children will

become the foundation of a new race." become the foundation of a new race."

HistoryHistory

Born September 14, 1879Born September 14, 1879 One of Eleven ChildrenOne of Eleven Children 1902 Married William Sanger1902 Married William Sanger 1912, a fire destroys her home and moves into 1912, a fire destroys her home and moves into

the East Side slums of Manhattanthe East Side slums of Manhattan Begins writing a column for the New York Call: Begins writing a column for the New York Call:

“What Every Girl Should Know “What Every Girl Should Know ”” Also distributed a pamphlet Also distributed a pamphlet Family LimitationFamily Limitation to to

poor womenpoor women 1916, “1916, “What Every Girl Should Know What Every Girl Should Know ” becomes ” becomes

published as a Little Blue Bookpublished as a Little Blue Book

HistoryHistory

October 16, 1916, opens a family planning and October 16, 1916, opens a family planning and birth control clinic in Brooklyn. It was shut down birth control clinic in Brooklyn. It was shut down 9 days later, due to violating the Comstock Act9 days later, due to violating the Comstock Act

Founded the American Birth Control League in Founded the American Birth Control League in 1921 (Formally National Birth Control League, 1921 (Formally National Birth Control League, founded in 1916. Later becomes Planned founded in 1916. Later becomes Planned Parenthood in 1942)Parenthood in 1942)

Known as a Free Speech advocate, champion of Known as a Free Speech advocate, champion of Birth Control and Women’s RightsBirth Control and Women’s Rights

Controversial. Her crusade landed her in jail Controversial. Her crusade landed her in jail numerous times, and even caused her to flee to numerous times, and even caused her to flee to England for awhileEngland for awhile

Main PointsMain Points

The most important force in the remaking of the world is a The most important force in the remaking of the world is a free motherhood.free motherhood. “…“…or she may, by controlling birth, lift motherhood to the plane or she may, by controlling birth, lift motherhood to the plane

of a voluntary, intelligent function, and remake the world. of a voluntary, intelligent function, and remake the world. When the world is thus remade, it will exceed the dream of When the world is thus remade, it will exceed the dream of statesman, reformer and revolutionist.”statesman, reformer and revolutionist.”

A woman’s status in society is such, due to an inability to A woman’s status in society is such, due to an inability to govern her ability to bear children. Suffrage, and overall govern her ability to bear children. Suffrage, and overall equality are inconsequential compared to her reproductivity.equality are inconsequential compared to her reproductivity. ““Woman’s acceptance of her inferior status was the more real Woman’s acceptance of her inferior status was the more real

because it was unconscious. She had chained herself to her because it was unconscious. She had chained herself to her place in society and the family through the maternal functions place in society and the family through the maternal functions of her nature, and only chains thus strong could have bound of her nature, and only chains thus strong could have bound her to her lot as a brood animal for the masculine civilizations her to her lot as a brood animal for the masculine civilizations of the world.”of the world.”

Main PointsMain Points

The woman’s position of The woman’s position of submissive reproduction has submissive reproduction has lead to over-population.lead to over-population.

““No period of low wages or of No period of low wages or of idleness with their want among idleness with their want among the workers, no peonage or the workers, no peonage or sweatshop, no child-labor sweatshop, no child-labor factory, ever came into being, factory, ever came into being, save from the same source.”save from the same source.”

This over-population is the fault This over-population is the fault of Women and has unleashed of Women and has unleashed evils upon society and allowed evils upon society and allowed her to incur a debt to society.her to incur a debt to society.

““War, famine, poverty and War, famine, poverty and oppression of the workers will oppression of the workers will continue while woman makes continue while woman makes life cheap. They will cease only life cheap. They will cease only when she limits her when she limits her reproductivity and human life is reproductivity and human life is no longer a thing to be no longer a thing to be wasted.” wasted.”

Main PointsMain Points

There are two obstacles impeding repayment of There are two obstacles impeding repayment of this debt.this debt. 1. Laws prevent women from obtaining knowledge of 1. Laws prevent women from obtaining knowledge of

her reproductive nature.her reproductive nature. 2. Ignorance of the extent and effect of her submission 2. Ignorance of the extent and effect of her submission

has wrought.has wrought.

Main PointsMain Points

Woman’s submissive role is due to ignorance of Woman’s submissive role is due to ignorance of her reproductive nature.her reproductive nature. ““Woman’s passivity under the burden of her disastrous Woman’s passivity under the burden of her disastrous

task was almost altogether that of ignorant resignation. task was almost altogether that of ignorant resignation. She knew virtually nothing about her reproductive She knew virtually nothing about her reproductive nature and less about the consequences of excessive nature and less about the consequences of excessive childbearing.”childbearing.”

For women to obtain true liberty, they must take For women to obtain true liberty, they must take control of their ability to bear children. They will control of their ability to bear children. They will obtain this through birth control. A woman’s obtain this through birth control. A woman’s freedom is dependent upon her having control freedom is dependent upon her having control over her body.over her body.

Main PointsMain Points

““Birth control is woman’s problem. The quicker Birth control is woman’s problem. The quicker she accepts it as hers and hers alone, the quicker she accepts it as hers and hers alone, the quicker will society respect motherhood.”will society respect motherhood.”

Once freedom has been obtained, it is a woman’s Once freedom has been obtained, it is a woman’s duty to infuse the world with her feminine spirit.duty to infuse the world with her feminine spirit. “…“…[A woman’s mission] is not to create a [A woman’s mission] is not to create a

human world by the infusion of the feminine human world by the infusion of the feminine element into all its activities.element into all its activities.

QuestionsQuestions

Just how powerful is birth control in considering a Just how powerful is birth control in considering a woman’s position in society?woman’s position in society?

According to Sanger, what is a man’s According to Sanger, what is a man’s responsibility in all of this?responsibility in all of this?

Does a woman’s ability to bear children bind her Does a woman’s ability to bear children bind her into slavery? Can this slavery compare to black into slavery? Can this slavery compare to black slavery?slavery?