Birth Control, Sex Research, and Social Change

Margaret Sanger and the Birth Control Movement

• Introduction by Mike Wallace

  • Unrehearsed, uncensored interview on birth control.

  • Adult topic meriting public examination.

• Margaret Sanger's Crusade

  • Opened first birth control clinic in the U.S. in 1916.

  • Arrested eight times for her activism.

  • Faced opposition from the Roman Catholic Church.

  • Personal sacrifices: time away from children, broken first marriage, social abuse.

• Sanger's Motivations

  • Large family (11 children) and mother's early death.

  • Experiences as a trained nurse seeing women suffering from frequent pregnancies and abortions.

  • Denial of antagonism toward the church as primary motive.

  • Self-described as a "born humanitarian" with aversion to suffering and cruelty.

  • Feminist inclination to alleviate women's suffering from childbearing.

  • Desire to challenge archaic laws, specifically the Comstock laws.

    • Anthony Comstock put laws on statute books some years ago that no one had challenged.

    • Doctors couldn't use US mails for books or anything related to birth control.

• International Importance of Birth Control

  • Invited to spread birth control movement in Europe and the Orient.

  • Concerns about overpopulation and resource scarcity.

  • Population control to manage resources and prevent starvation.

• Global Resources and Population

  • Debate on whether birth control or resource management is more critical.

  • Example of Japan: limited resources requiring external support.

  • Reference to Professor James Bonner's study (California Institute of Technology).

    • Report from May 21 in the New York Times.

    • Potential to utilize 1,000,000,000 acres of unused agricultural land.

    • Improved land management could feed the world, even with a one-third population increase over the next 50 years.

Alfred Kinsey and the Study of Sex

• Alfred Kinsey: Pioneer of Sex Research

  • Biologist and "collector" by training.

  • Early career focused on gall wasps.

  • Shifted focus to human sexuality.

• Context of the Time

  • Sex was considered a taboo topic.

• Kinsey's Marriage Course

  • Offered at Indiana University in Bloomington.

  • Included forbidden topics related to sex.

  • Used anatomical terms (penis, clitoris) and visuals.

• Motivations and Approach

  • Recognized the lack of reliable information about sex.

  • Driven by scientific curiosity to uncover facts.

• Research Methodology

  • Gathered case histories of sexual behavior.

  • Aimed for diversity in age, sex, and education levels.

  • Studied variation in human behavior, similar to his gall wasp research.

  • Interviewed individuals from various backgrounds.

• Data Collection

  • Used extensive questionnaires (up to 350 questions).

  • Recorded data in secret code to ensure confidentiality.

Masters and Johnson: Observing Sexual Response

• William Masters' Research

  • Gynecologist at Washington University in St. Louis.

  • Sought to establish a basic science of sexology.

  • Initial interviews with prostitutes in his practice.

• Collaboration with Virginia Johnson

  • Employed Johnson to assist in research and interviewing.

• Observational Studies

  • Used cameras to film internal changes during sexual activity.

  • Documented the process of a woman masturbating to orgasm.

• Stages of Sexual Response

  • Identified four stages: excitement, plateau, orgasm, and resolution.

• Significance of Findings

  • Aimed to provide a basic understanding of human sexual response.

  • Sought to apply knowledge to therapy for sexual inadequacy.

• Publication and Impact

  • Published "Human Sexual Response" in 1966.

  • Became a best-seller despite initial reluctance from medical journals.

  • Significantly influenced couples' sexual behavior.

  • Opened the first sex therapy clinic in 1970.

  • Focused on improving sexual relationships and communication.

Social Attitudes and the LGBTQ+ Rights Movement

• Homosexuality as a Taboo

  • Negative attitudes and lack of acceptance.

• The Stonewall Riots

  • Police raid on the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar.

  • Marked a turning point in the LGBTQ+ rights movement.

  • Sparked protests and demonstrations.

  • Symbolized resistance and empowerment.

Apology for the Tuskegee Syphilis Study

• President Clinton's Apology

  • Formal apology on behalf of the federal government.

  • Acknowledged the unethical treatment of men with syphilis in the Tuskegee Study.

  • Expressed regret for the pain, suffering, and loss of life caused by the study.

• Calls for Remembrance

  • Desire for a Tuskegee permanent memorial.

  • Efforts to establish the Tuskegee Human Rights Center.