FREE ESSAY ON MARGARET SANGER

MARGARET SANGER

The early twentieth century was a turning point in American history-especially in regards
to the acquisition of women's rights. While the era was considered to be prosperous and
later thought to be a happy-go-lucky time, in actuality, it was a time of grave social
conflict and human suffering (Parish, 110). Among those who endured much suffering were
women. As Margaret Sanger found out, women, especially those who were poor, had no choice
regarding pregnancy. The only way not to get pregnant was by not having sex- a choice
that was almost always the husband's. This was even more true in the case of lower-class
men for whom, 'sex was the poor man's only luxury' (Douglas, 31). As a nurse who assisted
in delivering babies, Margaret Sanger was very aware of how unwanted pregnancies affected
lives. She witnessed the affects of self-induced abortions, the transferring of diseases
from mother to child, and the deaths of mothers and children due to poor health
conditions. Feeling strongly about the problem unwanted pregnancies, Sanger devoted her
life to acquiring the right for women to prevent pregnancies through the use of
contraceptives. After years of dedication and hard work, Margaret Sanger not only
accomplished what she had hoped for-making people understand the importance and necessity
of birth control, but also accomplishes something greater by extending women's rights as
well. 
In a society where it was considered inappropriate for girls to know about their anatomy
and its functions, let alone talk and read about it, Margaret Sanger realized that she
must create literature that informed girls about their bodies. She produced a pamphlet
titled What Every Girl Should Know. In it, she discussed subjects like physical growth,
mental development, puberty, menstruation, sexual impulses, reproduction, 
hygiene of pregnancy, and various venereal diseases (Sanger-Girl, 1). While her book was
considered "obscene, lewd and lascivious material" (Gray, 43), Sanger was convinced that
education about these topics were necessary. Through the publishing of What Every girl
Should Know, Margaret Sanger demonstrated to common women, to her adversaries, and to the
government that women deserve the right to learn about and understand their bodies.
In addition to What Every Girl Should Know, Sanger created other propaganda, which
informed women that they deserved the right to prevent births. The purpose of her first
publication of this type, a magazine called The Woman Rebel, was to inspire women to
demand rights. She wanted "to stimulate working women to think for themselves and to
build up a conscience, fighting character" (Douglas, 50). In each issue of the "Rebel",
she discussed topics such as child labor, women and children in industry, health and
cultural opportunities. She believed that women must determine her own maternity-"This
was the most precious freedom" (Douglas, 50). 
Following The Woman Rebel, Sanger wrote a pamphlet called Family Limitations. In this
pamphlet, Sanger discussed such topics as the use of condoms, the importance of douches,
and the practice of "coitus interrupts" or withdrawal (Whitelaw-Every, 50). For this
informational writing, Sanger called a "heinous criminal who sought to turn every home
into a brothel" and it was denounced as "indecent, immoral and a menace to society"
(Douglas, 85). By writing these works of propaganda, Sanger was trying to inform women
that there were ways of preventing births. She wanted to lower the birth rate for several
reasons. Doing so could improve the quality and health of their lives. 
Lower birth rates could also prevent the transfer of disease to their children and would
not require their young children to work in factories in order to earn money
(Whitelaw-Every, 54). Sanger advocated contraceptive devices and practices saying, "Birth
Control will make parenthood a voluntary function instead of an accident as it is today.
When motherhood and children are free, we then can go hand in hand toward the
emancipation of the human race" (Sanger-Fight, 40).
Another one of Margaret Sanger's contributions to women's rights was her demand that
women and men have equal treatment and conditions. This demand was brought on by the
knowledge that men and women did not have equal access to condoms. Sanger knew that they
were being used in various other countries as methods of birth control and that they were
available for purchase within the United States. Although condoms were legally available,
they were not to be used between married couples. Their only legal use "was to protect
the male from venereal disease" when engaging with prostitute, "and not to protect the
female from contraception" (Douglas, 69). This did not make sense to
Sanger-"Contraception was only legal if its purpose was to promote male promiscuity"
(Douglas, 101). The men who wrote and voted for this law barred women from protection
that might save a mother's life. It seemed that "Their only tolerance was for "phallic
frolics" (Douglas, 101). Sanger made the public aware of this inequality in an attempt to
encourage women to work to change the laws and common practices of society.
One of Margaret Sanger's most important contributions in her demand for woman's rights
was he physical demonstration that their rights were important and that woman 
could not be overlooked. Throughout her life, Sanger fought the law many times. She was
tried for breaking post office laws and for illegally running operations-providing birth
control contraceptives and information without being a physician (Sanger -Fight). For
these penalties, she was fined and imprisoned. Margaret Sanger was a woman in the public
arena fighting for the public. People watched her for years. They saw that she never gave
up on her cause. Margaret Sanger proved to people that she was powerful-that women could
not be ignored and that their rights must be recognized.
The longer Sanger worked on her cause, the greater the number of her supporters grew. Her
supporters varied from poor workers to physicians and public figures. While the number of
influential supporters of birth control grew, the number of supporters of woman's rights
grew along with it. When Sanger started out advocating birth control she had no support.
However, her researching in Europe was where she gained many allies for her cause. One
particular supporter was Dr. Marie Stopes. Securing the signatures of nine of England's
most famous authors, she wrote an open letter to President Wilson urged him to use his
influence "not only for the benefit of Mrs. Sanger, but of humanity". This well
publicized message called for an end to criminal prosecution for circulating material
which would be allowed in every country except the United States (Douglas, 90).
People were impressed by this English appeal and were eager to help. Included this group
of people was, "A group of experienced suffragists who gave Sanger what she had 
never had before, support from New York's top social register" (Douglas 90). Another of
Sanger's most influential supporters was Noah Slee-a millionaire whom she later 
married. In addition to help by particular persons, Sanger also gained support from
various groups. For example, she gained support from the New York League of Women voters
which had "endorsed repeal of the state Comstock laws" (Douglas, 200). The increase in
supporters of birth control directly correlated with the increase in supporters of
women's rights. In recognizing the right for women to use birth control, people were
recognizing the fact that women deserved rights.
While Sanger had many contributions to women's rights in the early twentieth century,
they are extremely obvious today in the 1990's. Contraceptives are readily available.
With a quick trip to the nearest supermarket, drug store, or gas station a person can
obtain condoms, sponges, contraceptive jellies and foams. Through an appointment with a
family physician or genealogist a woman can get a birth control pill prescription, fitted
for a diaphragm, birth control injections, and birth implants. Surgeries are also
available as a way to prevent pregnancy-take for example hysterectomy or a vasectomy.
Additionally, abortions are now a legal method for ending unwanted pregnancy. Although
there is still much opposition to abortions, there are clinics in nearly every large city
in the United States. All of these things are direct results of Margaret Sanger's work.
Without her determination, our way of life now might be very different and much closer to
the fundamentalist society of the 1920's. Not only would women not have the legal
availability of birth control, but they would not the have rights that are taken for
granted today.
Margaret Sanger's work has had a great impact on America's last eighty years of history.
She produced many important works of propaganda which informed women 
about their bodies, about their need to stand up for their rights, and about ways to
prevent pregnancy and, in doing so, control the quality of their lives. She demanded
equality of treatment and conditions and demonstrated the need for public recognition of
these rights. As Sanger struggled to provide women with these rights. She also increased
the number of supporters of woman's rights. Although Margaret Sanger began fighting for
the right for birth control, she was also and perhaps more importantly, fighting for
woman's rights. Her contributions to women's rights are priceless. She was a woman rebel
who became a women hero. 
Works Cited
Douglas, Emily Taft. Margaret Sanger: Pioneer of The Future. New York: Holt, Rinehart and
Winston, 1970.
Gray, Madeline. Margaret Sanger: A Biography Of The Champion of Birth Control. New York:
Richard Marek Publishers, 1979.
Parrish, Michael E. Anxious Decades: America in Prosperity And Depression, 1920-1941. New
York: W.W. Norton & Company, 1992.
Sanger, Margaret. My Fight for Birth Control. New York: Ferris Printing Company, 1931
Sanger, Margaret. What Every Girl Should Know. 1914
Whitelaw, Nancy. Margaret Sanger: "Every Child a Wanted Child". New York: Dillon Press,
1994..
Bibliography
Douglas, Emily Taft. Margaret Sanger: Pioneer of The Future. New York: Holt, Rinehart and
Winston, 1970.
Gray, Madeline. Margaret Sanger: A Biography Of The Champion of Birth Control. New York:
Richard Marek Publishers, 1979.
Parrish, Michael E. Anxious Decades: America in Prosperity And Depression, 1920-1941. New
York: W.W. Norton & Company, 1992.
Sanger, Margaret. My Fight for Birth Control. New York: Ferris Printing Company, 1931
Sanger, Margaret. What Every Girl Should Know. 1914
Whitelaw, Nancy. Margaret Sanger: "Every Child a Wanted Child". New York: Dillon Press,
1994..