Margaret Sanger, the controversial creator of the birth control policy

Margaret Sanger campaigned for birth control in the early 20th century to improve the lives of women. The woman who is considered the founder of Family Planning was also seduced by eugenic ideas, popular at the time. In a previously unpublished story, Virginie Girod tells you about the life of a legend of American feminism who left behind a controversial legacy.

A nurse in New York in the 1910s, Margaret Sanger notes the consequences of unwanted pregnancies in the poor neighborhood of the Lower East Side. Women, without knowledge of reproduction, often become pregnant. For them, a high birth rate is nothing more than the promise of misery. When they try to abort, the consequences on their health are dramatic, sometimes fatal. Margaret Sanger is sensitive to their distress: her mother went through it, the victim of 18 consecutive pregnancies.

Close to socialism, Margaret Sanger became a feminist activist determined to teach sex education to free women from unwanted motherhood and thereby improve the working condition. It attacks in particular the Comstock law prohibiting the dissemination of information or images deemed obscene or immoral, and which therefore prevents education on reproduction. While in trouble with the law, Margaret Sanger retreats to England. This is where it comes close to eugenics. According to her, birth control must be used to improve the human species, which involves the sterilization of disabled people, for example.

In 1916, Margaret Sanger moved back to the United States where she opened the first birth control clinic, which later became Planned Parenthood. His work earned him a short stay in prison: contraception was then controversial and illegal! In retreat from 1942, she was nevertheless a great supporter of the legalization of the contraceptive pill, a revolution which changed the lives of women.

Topics covered: 20th century, contraception, eugenics, family planning, United States

“At the heart of history” is a Europe 1 Studio podcast

- Presentation: Virginie Girod 

- Production: Caroline Garnier and Camille Bichler

- Director: Nicolas Gaspard

- Composition of the original music: Julien Tharaud 

- Writing and Distribution: Nathan Laporte

- Communication: Marie Corpet

- Visual: Sidonie Mangin