By the last quarter of 1925, Rabindranath became attached with a social movement launched by an American, Dr. Margaret Sanger, namely Birth Control Movement.
Margaret Higgins
Sanger (September 14, 1879 – September 6, 1966) was an American birth control activist, sex educator, and nurse. Sanger popularized
the term birth control, opened the first birth control clinic in the
United States, and established Planned Parenthood. Sanger's efforts
contributed to the landmark U.S. Supreme Court case
which legalized contraception in the United States. Sanger is a frequent target
of criticism by opponents of birth control and has also been criticized for
supporting eugenics, but remains an
iconic figure in the American reproductive rights movement.
Sanger's early years
were spent in New York City. In 1914, prompted by suffering she witnessed due to
frequent pregnancies and self-induced abortions, she started a monthly
newsletter, The Woman Rebel. Sanger's activism was influenced by the
conditions of her youth—her mother had 18 pregnancies in 22 years, and died at
age 50 of tuberculosis and cervical cancer.
In 1916, Sanger opened
the first birth control clinic in the United States, which led to her arrest for
distributing information on contraception. Her subsequent trial and appeal
generated enormous support for her cause. Sanger felt that in order for women to
have a more equal footing in society and to lead healthier lives, they needed to
be able to determine when to bear children. She also wanted to prevent
back-alley abortions, which were dangerous and usually
illegal at that time.
In 1921, Sanger founded
the American Birth Control League,
which later became the Planned Parenthood
Federation of America. In New York, Sanger organized the first birth control
clinic staffed by all-female doctors, as well as a clinic in Harlem with an entirely African-American staff. In 1929,
she formed the National Committee on Federal Legislation for Birth Control,
which served as the focal point of her lobbying efforts to legalize
contraception in the United States. From 1952 to 1959, Sanger served as
president of the International Planned
Parenthood Federation. She died in 1966, and is widely regarded as a founder
of the modern birth control movement.
Margaret wrote a letter to Rabindranath from New York on 12 Aug 1925;
" The Indian papers just received report that Mahatma Gandhi has been visiting you at Shantiniketan. Perhaps you have seen his recent statement in in opposition to Birth Control....we take it granted trhat with your international outlook on life and human society you cannot but feel friendly towards Birth Control. " and after this, informing Rabindranath about printing of his poem " The beginning "[The Crescent Moon] in the magazine " The Birth Control Review", requested him " We should feel highly honoured if you would send us a statement regarding Birth Control for publication in our Birth Control Review. "
Rabindranath didnot support birth control by artificial means, instead his suggestion was in favour of sexual abstinence.
