Margaret Sanger s A Moral Necessity For Birth Control

Public discussions of birth control were criminalized under the Comstock Act of 1873 because people believed it was immoral. Margaret Sanger, who had opened the first birth control clinic in 1916 despite the Comstock Act of 1873, was a feminist and advocate. After serving prison time, Sanger returned publicly and illegally with drive to present a strong argument that defended the moral use of birth control. Prior to her morally controversial 1921 speech, Sanger was arrested in New York for her intent to advocate public knowledge pertaining to birth control. Although the ethical nature of using birth control is still controversial in America, Margaret Sanger’s 1921 speech â€Å"A Moral Necessity for Birth Control† was undoubtedly a catalyst for†¦show more content†¦William E. Nelson stated in Criminality and Sexual Morality in New York that New York was then primarily â€Å"the most populous state and the economic and cultural leader of the nation†. Thus , the outcomes of the law hypothetically showed how â€Å"socio-political forces influenced the law’s treatment of sexual immorality and gender-related violence in New York† (W. E. Nelson). The law was an experiment. Because the law was then recent and new to the public, the outcomes were expected to produce â€Å"preliminary hypotheses about more general national developments† (Yale Journal of Law the Humanities, Vol. 5: 265). This was important because the American populace could not be defined by or categorized with the demographic in New York circa 1920. Additionally, the law could not physically prevent any public citizen from professing such profane and immoral knowledge. Comstock and Sanger both recognized the inevitability of sexual intercourse, but they perceived differently which aspects of sexual intercourse were immoral, and as a result, they differed in their methods of influencing the public politically. During that era, the entirety of sexual intercourse (irrespective to the practice of married couples with intentions to procreate) was deemed immoral. This was because any practice of sexual activity wasShow MoreRelatedMargaret Sangers A Moral Nece ssity For Birth Control1588 Words   |  7 PagesPublic discussions of birth control were criminalized under the Comstock Act of 1873 because people believed it was immoral. Margaret Sanger, who had opened the first birth control clinic in 1916 in spite of the Comstock Act of 1873, was a feminist and advocate of eugenics. After serving prison time, Sanger returned publicly and illegally with drive to present a strong argument that defended the moral use of birth control. Prior to her morally controversial 1921 speech, Sanger was arrested in NewRead MoreEugenics And Scientific Racism : Margaret Sanger1174 Words   |  5 Pages Eugenics and Scientific Racism: Margaret Sanger The study or practice of attempting to ‘improve’ the human gene pool by encouraging the reproduction of people considered to have desirable traits and discouraging or preventing the reproduction of people considered to have undesirable traits; Eugenics. In the early 20th century, Eugenics grew popular among mainstream scientists, physicians and the generalRead MoreChanges in Era and American Culture Reflected in Its Literature1774 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"A† but she refuses to let it define her. â€Å"On the breast of her gown, in fine red cloth, surrounded with an elaborate embroidery and fantastic flourishes of gold thread, appeared the letter A.† (10) Hester decides to embellish the â€Å"A† and takes control of her punishment. She builds her own strong, independent, and brave character off her scarlet letter. Hester is banished from her town and ends up living in the woods for seven years. In those seven years she learns to be strong, independent, courageousRead MoreOne Significant Change That Has Occurred in the World Between 1900 and 2005. Explain the Impact This Change Has Made on Our Lives and Why It Is an Important Change.163893 Words   |  656 Pagescombined. During the same ti me span, however, state tyranny and brutal oppression reached once unimaginable levels—in large part due to the refinement or introduction of new technologies of repression and surveillance and modes of mass organization and control. Breakthroughs in the sciences that greatly enhanced our understandings of the natural world and made for major advances in medicine and health care were very often offset by the degradation of the global environment and massive spurts in excessive