Reproductive Rights Movement Book Review
Nelson, Jennifer. Women of Color and the Reproductive Rights Movement. New York, New York: New York University Press. 2003.
Thesis: Nelson argues that women of color (black and Hispanic) were essential to expanding the focus of the reproductive rights movement from solely abortion rights to adapting views on forced sterilization and pre/post maternal care. She argues against the traditional white, feminist viewpoint that focusing on the problems of white, middle-class women, and “women of color and poor women’s rights will also be defended. (186)”
Themes:
1. While this is a book about women’s reproductive rights, a recurring theme in the book is machismo: the idea of a strong, manly, alpha male. The ideals that lay beyond the term of machismo …show more content…
She follows both a chronological style within the chapters to show growth and change, but also uses each chapter to describe different groups, events, and political ideals, that were vital to the reproductive rights movement. Nelson begins her book with an introduction to the movement as well as a history of abortion- both legal and illegal methods. Chapter one provides the reader with a background of the Redstockings and the early abortion rights movements. Chapter two focuses on the history of black women and forced sterilization as well as proposed legislation based on sterilization and welfare (a topic that will come up repeatedly throughout the book). Chapter three shifts the focus from black women, to black movements such as the Black Panthers and Black Power, and how their masculine-controlled movements led to the oppression of black women’s access to contraceptives and voluntary sterilization. Chapter four introduces readers to a minority outside of the black race, the Puerto Rican women and the Young Lord’s Party, and their struggle with reproductive rights. This chapter also looks at the oppression of women under and eventual reconstruction of Machismo. Chapter five focuses on the role of CARASA in the movement and its eventual self-destruction. Nelson concludes her text with restating her argument and discussing the evolution of reproductive rights for women of color and poor …show more content…
She titles the book “Women of Color”, but focuses on the struggles of black women, Hispanic women, and poor women. Poor women could be white. I believe hers is more of story about the struggle of lower-class women and reproductive rights than just women of color, so perchance she could have titled the book in a way that referenced more about economic status than race. I know that it was mostly women of color that were targeted for forced sterilization, but the focus was on their race and economic status, not just race alone. I also believe that the author allowed her biases to slip through, especially when it came to making assumptions and statements in her conclusion. This, to me, affected how valid some of her smaller arguments
Thesis: Nelson argues that women of color (black and Hispanic) were essential to expanding the focus of the reproductive rights movement from solely abortion rights to adapting views on forced sterilization and pre/post maternal care. She argues against the traditional white, feminist viewpoint that focusing on the problems of white, middle-class women, and “women of color and poor women’s rights will also be defended. (186)”
Themes:
1. While this is a book about women’s reproductive rights, a recurring theme in the book is machismo: the idea of a strong, manly, alpha male. The ideals that lay beyond the term of machismo …show more content…
She follows both a chronological style within the chapters to show growth and change, but also uses each chapter to describe different groups, events, and political ideals, that were vital to the reproductive rights movement. Nelson begins her book with an introduction to the movement as well as a history of abortion- both legal and illegal methods. Chapter one provides the reader with a background of the Redstockings and the early abortion rights movements. Chapter two focuses on the history of black women and forced sterilization as well as proposed legislation based on sterilization and welfare (a topic that will come up repeatedly throughout the book). Chapter three shifts the focus from black women, to black movements such as the Black Panthers and Black Power, and how their masculine-controlled movements led to the oppression of black women’s access to contraceptives and voluntary sterilization. Chapter four introduces readers to a minority outside of the black race, the Puerto Rican women and the Young Lord’s Party, and their struggle with reproductive rights. This chapter also looks at the oppression of women under and eventual reconstruction of Machismo. Chapter five focuses on the role of CARASA in the movement and its eventual self-destruction. Nelson concludes her text with restating her argument and discussing the evolution of reproductive rights for women of color and poor …show more content…
She titles the book “Women of Color”, but focuses on the struggles of black women, Hispanic women, and poor women. Poor women could be white. I believe hers is more of story about the struggle of lower-class women and reproductive rights than just women of color, so perchance she could have titled the book in a way that referenced more about economic status than race. I know that it was mostly women of color that were targeted for forced sterilization, but the focus was on their race and economic status, not just race alone. I also believe that the author allowed her biases to slip through, especially when it came to making assumptions and statements in her conclusion. This, to me, affected how valid some of her smaller arguments