After class on Monday I started thinking about who was a significant public intellectual to me, a historical or present day figure. The first name that came to mind was Margaret Sanger. Sanger was an advocate for reform; she saw a problem in society and she wanted to make a change.
Sanger is responsible for one of the most controversial methods of medicine - that is birth control. A proponent for women being able to take control of their bodies, Sanger wrote about issues relating to women, sex education, pregnancy and family planning. Her ideas were radical and as you can imagine, there were repercussions; the most famous being the Comstock Laws. These laws made it illegal for people to send pamphlets/writing/news regarding birth control, family planning or abortions by mail, because it was considered pornography. Depsite the ludacris thinking of her day, society has improved because of Sanger and her dedication to education, information, access and ending the oppression of women.
Great choice, Jacqui. Sanger and others who spoke out in favor of birth control (Emma Goldman, etc.) endured arrest, censorship, social ridicule and condemnation by religious authorities of various kinds to speak out for reproductive freedom and choice. Sadly, too often they are forgotten.
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