Forced Sterilization and Birth Control Trials: A Complex History

Описание: "History remembers the progress. It too often forgets the pain that made it possible."

In the 1950s, over 130 Puerto Rican women were enrolled in clinical trials for the first hormonal birth control pill, without full knowledge or consent.
Roughly 20% of participants experienced serious side effects, including blood clots, nausea, and depression.

Three women died during the trials, but no autopsies were performed, and researchers dismissed the complaints as “unreliable.”

As Ariana Gonzales Stokas reflects in this clip, the history of birth control access is deeply complex. Some women desperately sought control over their reproductive lives and accepted what was available, often without being told the full risks. Others were subjected to experimentation without consent, in trials that prioritized scientific advancement over human dignity.

This wasn’t a choice. It was survival within a system that denied real options.
This is the legacy we must confront.
This is the truth we must teach.

#ReproductiveJustice #BirthControlHistory #HumanRights #PuertoRico #MedicalEthics #InformedConsentMatters #WomensRights #StandUpSpeakOut