The progressive era was a time for social and political reform where eugenists shared all their opinions. Margaret Sanger was a eugenist and she addressed on of the biggest controversies - women’s equality and right to birth control. Being a women, it was hard to express her opinions and be taken seriously, but she didn’t let this bother her; instead, it motivated her. She believed that all women should be able to decide when they were ready financially and so they can make sure they’re healthy and strong before having to carry.
Margaret grew up with 10 brothers and sisters who were all loved but never clothed, fed, or educated. Her dad’s work never brought in a consistent flow of money and what he did bring in was only small wages. Women never got an opportunity to work, but Margaret’s mom was so sickly with tuberculosis that she was extremely week and wouldn’t be able to keep a job. Margaret’s family lived in a poor town but when they played outside, they could see the wealthier (middle/upper classes) on top of a hill. Margaret often observed their behavior and she noticed that they consisted of families with 2-3 children and they were always happy. Margaret struggled to understand how the moms up there were able to spend time with their kids when her mom was always cooking, cleaning, and sewing (and she was ALWAYS pregnant).
One reason Margaret's family struggled so much financially was because her dad, Michael Higgins, struggled to keep a job. One of the main factors this was an issue with him was because he was a rebel and always spoke his mind. He believed in equality for everything and everyone. He hated how people took note of others’ race, gender, religion, and sexuality. One time, Higgins invited Ingersoll to speak at a church that he rented out. When the day came for the event, the church prohibited the event. By the end of the week, everyone heard about what happened and Higgins lost all of his commissions. His family had the right to be mad because it left them with very little money, but instead, they considered to support him in his fight for equality.
Margaret ignored all the kids that called her and her siblings devils, and in the end, grew up to be superior. She began studying at the Hudson River Institute at Claverack which was one of the only co-ed schools that were open to teaching girls and boys together. Margaret flourished here with other like-minded and spirited girls. She was surprised at how nurturing all the teachers were and open to ideas of equality. Like always, Margaret opened up about all of her opinions and ignored people who criticized her- telling her she wouldn’t find a man if she continued to share such radical views. By embracing her strong presence, Margaret decided to apply to a drama school in New York. However, this idea didn’t last long because Margaret ripped up the application she saw it was more focused on body measurements than actual talent.
Using the drama school fiasco to motivate her, Margaret tried more than ever to push for equality. She began teaching first grade to immigrants (Poles, Hungarians, and Swedes) and taught them English because she knew without her, they wouldn’t have much of a chance in American society. This was another short-lived career path as she had to go home and take care of her mom who was on her deathbed. Margaret had to do all of her mom's duties to take care of the family (even though Margaret was one of the youngest siblings). As she saw her mom deteriorate, Margaret realized there should be the option for EVERY woman to decide when/if to have children. She believed her mom would have had a better quality of life if she had the option. While being in her hometown, Margaret got arrested 9 times fighting for the use of birth control.
Once Margaret’s mom passed, she began working at White Plains Hospital in New York as a nurse probationary. On her first day, she was told to rewrap a man's wounds. She wrapped the wrong leg without knowing. When the doctor asked the patient why he didn’t stop her, he replied “Oh, she was so kind, I couldn’t tell her she was working on the wrong one” (Ladner and Meltzer).
She was later transferred to another hospital to complete training where she met her husband. When she got pregnant, she was also suffering from tuberculosis. She was so drained out and not motivated to do anything - even the doctor was hopeless when treating her because she was always so negative. One day, she was remembering her old life at the hospital and decided she needed to fix herself. She started working again but this time, she only worked on childbirth cases - she was so passionate about these, especially after carrying a baby.
Margaret worked in the tenants where the need for birth control was very much needed. There were about 400 babies per block and 250 babies would die per every 1,000 born. The women were DESPERATE to stop of kids. “What can I do to stop another baby?” they would ask - they never had enough money and were always sick. Margaret understood this firsthand because she has what people would call the dream life. She has a supportive husband, a nice house, and healthy children and she was even drained. Progressives, socialists, anarchists, and revolutionists made prescriptions to advance medicine and make it more efficient. After years and years of her fighting for this right, they began making prescriptions for birth control.
Margaret’s whole life can be seen as an act of progressivism. Her leadership started when she was supportive of her father’s push for equality in their town. This carried over she Margaret wanted female equality as she applied to the co-ed school, Hudson River Institute at Claverack. After being successful there, the rest of her career was the dedicated to the nationally known push for the ban of birth control to be removed. This was her ultimate goal that she was willing to go to jail for it multiple times. Giving birth was so dangerous that Margaret saved thousands of lives through her clinic and her successful riots.
- Sanger, Margaret. "Margaret Sanger’s “Birth Control and Racial Betterment”: Document Text."Milestone Documents of American Leaders. Ed. Paul Finkelman. Hackensack: Salem, 2009. n. pag.Salem Online. Web. 23 Feb. 2016. <http://online.salempress.com/articleDetails.do?bookId=303&articleName=mdal_117e&searchText=19th%20century%20birth%20control&searchOperators=any&category=History >.
- Lader, Lawrence, and Milton Meltzer. Margaret Sanger; Pioneer of Birth Control. New York: Crowell, 1969. Print.
- Dudley, William. Reproductive Rights. San Diego, CA: Greenhaven, 2006. Print.
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