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| author | Bethania Jessele Viana |
| title | My Body, My Choice: Latina Sterilization in the U.S. & Questions of Choice |
| abstract | The ability for a woman to make her own choices regarding her body has always been central to the fight for reproductive
rights. However, for Latinas within the United States, reproductive choice continues to be complex struggle. For instance, throughout the 1900s, the United
States influenced Puerto Rican legislation surrounding birth control to primarily promote sterilization. In the 1970s, Mexican-origin women were forcibly
sterilized in a Los Angeles hospital. Observed since the 1970s, Latinas in the United States exhibit higher rates of sterilization. These are not isolated
phenomena; rather, they are exemplary of racism and sexism at work within medical institutions. This project means to suggest that the historical relationship
between Latinas and sterilization within the United States serves as a prime example of the manner in which Latina bodies are constructed and minimized to the
point of naturalizing and justifying violence. Drawing links between historical events and contemporary sterilization rates, sterilization becomes a focal point
of analysis to understand the construction of Latina bodies and formulate a conclusion about the failures of reproductive healthcare. Combining the discourse
of existing feminist theory and medical ethics, this project grapples with definitions of sterilization abuse, agency and autonomy, ultimately complicating the
dichotomous model of choice through a critical, intersectional perspective. |
| school | The College of Liberal Arts, Drew University |
| degree | B.A. (2017) |
| advisor | Debra Liebowitz |
| committee | Nancy Noguera
Kate Ott |
| full text | BJViana.pdf |
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