From 1924 to 1979, the Virginia
Eugenical Sterilization Act forced approximately 8,000 people into being
sterilized through procedures like vasectomies and tubal ligation because they
were deemed unfit to reproduce. The most
current effort to provide compensations for victims had failed after the Virginian
delegates let the bill for compensation die on February 7th.
The concept of forced sterilization
is derived from eugenics, the control of breeding to increase the occurrence of
so-called desirable traits. Those deemed to have “undesirable” traits are discouraged to
reproduce in order to decrease the likelihood of those traits being passed on. People subject to sterilization
are disproportionally racial minorities, people with physical and/or mental
disabilities, and even people deemed unintelligent.
Eugenics has a negative connotation
because of the Nazi regime. However,
eugenics had been a U.S. movement in the 1920s, years before Nazi Germany.
Approximately 60,000 people in the U.S. were sterilized without their consent
before the practice became illegal during the late 1970s.
This issue in Virginia demonstrates
the disregard of reproductive justice in the U.S., both by the lack of coverage
in national news and the refusal of compensation towards compulsory
sterilization victims. However, the most troubling aspect of this issue is how
this was an attempt at breeding people like animals and this attempt is being ignored in the
news and politics.
Compulsory sterilization permanently stripped many people of their reproductive choice, leaving them
unable to decide whether or not they would like to have children. Furthermore,
forced sterilization is, among other things, a racist and ableist
procedure. It especially targets people who do not fit the white, able-bodied mythical norm.
Forced sterilization is meant to
wipe out “unfit” people from society. But,
like many other dark periods of U.S. history, compulsory sterilization has been
downplayed or overlooked. As long as such issues are ignored, not everyone will
have their reproductive rights acknowledged and respected.
It is amazing that this event happened so soon in the past. As a Holocaust historian I was very aware of eugenics and how they were used. Yes, they were used many years before the Germans used them. There was never so blatant an example though. These people deserve compensation for the wrong that has been done to them. I am wondering what group this targets and how that plays out. I know from our textbook that minorities have been targeted often enough. I was wondering what groups they targeted this time. Anyways, the cycle of oppression is very strong in this current event. It is so sad that not only are they not trying to make up for what they have done, but also by doing so they are saying they don't care.
ReplyDeleteThis idea of trying to reach a Utopian race really discourages individual freedom. Though I agree that sterilization serves a functioning purpose, I am still so flustered as to how far Virginia had taken it. This intentional selection of reproduction is very much so playing the role of God. Reproductive choice is a necessity of life! I am sure that those "unfit" for reproduction were also neglected and isolated from society. I cannot even begin to imagine this occurring in today's society. I definitely wouldn't want to know where I would fit along the sterilization lines either!
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