Forced Sterilization

The Constitution of the United States grants all citizens, with civil rights through the Fourteenth Amendment. Forced sterilization has been thought of as an infringement upon civil and human rights. Many believe it is not only a violation of the Fourteenth Amendment but the Eighth as well. Should the government enforce these rights in cases with girls or women with disabilities? The question has been debated repeatedly, and answered with a firm YES. However, parents with severely disabled young daughters may feel otherwise. Sterilization debates concerning disabled individuals are a heated topic in society today.

Sterilization is the act of making one barren or infertile. Today's arguments for forced sterilization are much like the ones from decades ago. The main arguments for sterilization are pregnancy prevention, menstrual management and personal care. Pregnancy prevention is a principal concern especially pregnancies resulting from sexual abuse. Sexual abuse is another contention for distress among the parents of disabled individuals. Many parents believe that if their daughters did not menstruate or need help with personal care, that there would be less opportunity for sexual abuse. Pregnancy also poses extra burdens to families and caregivers. If disabled individuals cannot take care of themselves, how can they care for a child? Many families fear the additional expense a baby would incurre [spelling--"incur"]. They would be faced with challenges of childcare and daily expenses in addition to their current living costs. Another main reason for sterilization that was made years ago was for eugenics. The premise for this was that if the degenerates of society were kept from having children that society's problems would disappear. "The United States was the first country to use compulsory sterilization programs" (Eugenics And Its Relevance To Contemporary Health Care, Rachel Iredale, Nursing Ethics 2000). Forced sterilizations were being performed as late as the twentieth century. In 1981, Oregon performed the last legal forced sterilization in U.S. history.

Forced sterilization is now recognized by society as a crime against humanity. It is believed that it is an act of violence, a form of social control. It is also a violation of the right to be free from torture, cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment. Sterilization is an irreversible medical procedure. Its effects are profoundly physical and psychological. Death can also be a result of this type of procedure. Safeguards to prevent forced sterilization should not infringe the rights of women or girls with disabilities to choose sterilization voluntarily. They should be provided with the necessary supports to ensure that they can make and communicate a choice based on their free and informed consent. The frightening fact is some state laws, those that state anyone who was labeled feebleminded could be sterilized