A Brief History on the Forced Sterilization of Indigenous Peoples in the US
Estimated Reading Time: 5 minutes
(TW: Genocide, Sexual Violence)
What is Sterilization?
According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Sterilization refers to a permanent method of birth control, which includes the procedures of tubal ligation, vasectomy, hysterectomy, and salpingectomy.
A simple description of each:
Tubal Ligation: Permanently blocks the fallopian tubes from transporting an egg to the uterus
Vasectomy: The tubes that carry sperm into the semen are cut and sealed
Salpingectomy: Complete removal of fallopian tubes
Hysterectomy: Complete removal of the uterus
How were Indigenous Peoples Sterilized?
Sterilization is a serious medical procedure in which one should have the bodily autonomy to choose whether this is something fit for them. However, this reality was nonexistent for most Indigenous peoples as they were forced or coerced into sterilization. Native American birth rates began plummeting upon placement on reservations, with astronomical infant mortality. Therefore, by 1950 the Office of Indian Affairs (which became the Indian Health Service) built hospitals and pushed Indigenous women to use their medical centers rather than traditional practices, like home birth. These centers were pushed so heavily to supposedly combat high infant mortality rates. The centers did help slightly at first as Native women began reproducing more than previously, with a birth average of 3.79 children compared to the median in the United States at 1.79 Children in 1970. However, the high birthing rates caused The Family Planning Services and Population Research Act of 1970 to begin targeting Indigenous women. They continued to push Indigenous women to go to the IHS hospitals recommended by the Indian Health service, as they were told it was “safer”. However, it was far from safe, and many medical procedures ended in Indigenous women being sterilized without consent, let alone knowledge of the procedure.
Jane Lawerence, a historian who focused on tracking the procedure performed on Indigenous women throughout the 60s and 70s, states, “Some of [the IHS doctors] did not believe that American Indian and other minority women had the intelligence to use other methods of birth control effectively and that there were already too many minority individuals causing problems in the nation.” These ideologies are what led to 25-50% of Indigenous women of childbearing age to be sterilized between 1970 and 1976. The government failed to provide these women with the necessary information to make an informed decision, they coerced Indigenous women to sign consent forms, and The Family Planning Services and Population Research Act of 1970 even subsidized IHS and Medicaid physicians for performing these sterilizations.
What are the Lasting Impacts of Sterilization?
Following the news of forced sterilization, groups such as Women of all Red Nations began protesting for new laws and regulations. Eventually, new regulations regarding an extended waiting period between 72 hours and 30 days from consent and operation were put into place. The forced sterilizations of countless Indigenous women has caused an even greater disconnect from health services and any sort of trust in the government. Indigenous hospitals are still underfunded, with a lack of culturally oriented maternal and reproductive health care being available. Impacts of sterilization also resulted in dwindling populations, which led to a decrease in Indigenous political power.
The lasting impacts of sterilization continue to this day, and have affected countless Indigenous peoples and communities.
Additional Resources
Book: Brianna Theobald, “Reproduction on the Reservation: Pregnancy, Childbirth, and Colonialism in the Long Twentieth Century”
Sources
https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/sterilization-for-women-and-men
https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/birth-control/basics/sterilization/hlv-20049454
https://airc.ucsc.edu/resources/suggested-lawrence.pdf
https://time.com/5737080/native-american-sterilization-history/
https://historydaily.org/native-american-women-sterilized
https://www.law.berkeley.edu/php-programs/centers/crrj/zotero/loadfile.php?entity_key=QFDB5MW3
