Hist 152
Margret Sanger on “Free Motherhood” from Woman and the New Race (1920)
The excerpt "Free Motherhood" from Woman and the New Race (1920) was written by Margret Sanger. The excerpt talks about the liberalization of women from the traditions that had compromised the democratic freedoms of expressions. Women were not only denied democratic rights but were also not allowed to make sexual and reproduction decisions. The excerpt aimed to advocate for a new era of creating a turn back by changing legal institutions that were denying the women their rights to make critical issues with their lives. Sanger was stimulated by her family background to advocate for the legalization of birth control pills through her journal The Rebel. She was against the rigidity of the American laws in freedom of expression. Sanger advocated for the acceptance of birth control pills in a bid to relieve the societal burden that had been brought about by a high number of children in families. This was due to the fact the women bore the burden of taking care of children, and her family since the incomes of their husbands were inadequate. The excerpt postulates that the women has been restricted by law to subject their selves to motherhood, and their personal choices and wishes have been compromised. In the article, Sanger is fighting for the role of women to be granted the right to make choices on marriage partners and the number of children they should bear so that they are capable of achieving personal growth.
The document is appropriate for its time because it advocates for the changes in the social institutions that had enslaved the women. During the time, women are denied both the voting rights, economic opportunities, making sexual and reproductive choices (Sanger, 92). Sanger broke the silence during a time when women are sabotaged by legal institutions that proved a threat to the economic progress of women. The families were denied the right to use contraceptives something that leads to uncontrolled birth among women. This poses an extra burden to them since they do not have time to pursue personal growth and development. The fact that men are not paid enough in their work is the reason why women has to work for extra income to get adequate supplies for their families. Women are exposed to long working hours because there are no defined laws to regulate working hours for women like it is the case for men (Sanger, 93).
Moreover, there are no regulations that protect women from poor health standards that result from uncontrolled childbearing and the work from the factories or at home. The world cannot be fully liberated if women are yet to be granted freedom of participation and expression (Sanger, 94). At the time, women seem like an object that is to be manipulated. Still, Sanger presents concerns of the woman since the treatment compromises the basic freedom which comes from the character of an individual. The role of the woman is limited to the nursing of children and undertaking domestic chores. The document fits the test of the time since it advocates for the change in both legal and social institutions that have limited the role of the woman. The freedom of women will turn out to be freedom of the whole generation through the children (Sanger, 95).
Based on the time and sex differences, I personally cannot understand the situation. Honestly, no matter in my hometown or here in Purdue, I have never seen any situation or event around me when female got treated unfairly compare to male. However, I can tell how tough it is from watching the movies and the news. Since we could not change the history, the only thing we can do is to prevent this situation happen as much as possible in our society currently. The document meets the expectations, mainly because it presents the position of women in pursuance of social justice. In a period that women were exposed to ignorance of laws that did not protect from backward laws like those restricting them from making reproductive choices. The author does not have any hidden motive because she brings out the concerns of women at the time with the aim of liberating them. The document left me with the question whether the objective of liberating women is achieved given the strong social rigidities.
References
Sanger, Margaret. Woman and the new race. Brentano's, 1920.