A study by a University of Michigan professor shows that “Latinas in the U.S. have been disproportionately targeted for sterilizations in mental health and health institutions over time.”
No doubt. Look, you probably didn’t have to even know there was a recent study done if you took a women’s studies class in college to believe this continues.
The reality of our fucked up world:
In California alone, the study found, between 3,000 to 4,000 women with Spanish surnames were sterilized in psychiatric institutions and homes for the developmentally disabled mostly from 1922 to 1952. Which is to say, of the 15,000 of the salpingectomies, or removal of the fallopian tubes, that took place on women during this time period in these institutions in California, 20 to 30% of them were targeted on Latinas, according to the study. Men were also targeted with vasectomies.
Minna told Politic365 that racism was at the core of many of these procedures, which were performed most often without consent. And that the eugenics at the core of this behavior, which is both sexist and racist, continues in various forms in today’s U.S. health care system, seen for example in health disparities in the poor, immigrants and non-white ethnic groups.
“It’s an mportant component of the racism that Latina/os faced in California. Our research suggests that Mexican-origin women were disproportionately sterilized, institutionalized, and labeled as ‘feebleminded’ or ‘developmentally disabled,’” she said.
This article appears in May 30 – Jun 5, 2013.
So how many crazy Latinos do we want?
Statistical disparities between racial and ethnic groups do not necessarily indicate racist motives. More explanation is needed.
Lack of educated (and documented) family members to serve as advocates is a far more likely reason than eugenics. Please. This is what passes for reasoning?
Poor and/or uneducated people, as well as those unable to speak English, are less able to effectively engage the system and find other outcomes for mentally ill family members.
Well said, bslap.
A person unable to take care of themselves (let’s say they have been born with something like severe cerable palsy just as an example) should not be able to have children. This isn’t a matter of breeding (I know that’s a harsh word), it’s a matter of how much money the state/Federal gov. are willing to pay to take care of these people and their offspring. Their children are most likely to end up in foster homes. And we all know how severe the lack of foster homes is in this state.
Sadly, rape is hardly unheard of in state run group homes. BUT these people, both male and female often still have as sex drive. Since these homes are usually lacking on the numer of personal (it’s a minimum wage job) , it’s not a bad idea to sterilize the males as well.
Notice I have not mentioned any particluar race. That’s because people of all races are born with medical and mental disabilities that make it unable to for them to take care of themselves. Perhaps the Hispanic families have the forsight to prevent their disabled daughters from having children of their own. I simply don’t know. I would like to see more information on this topic.