Our Bodies were not theirs: The Sterilization of Mexican-American women in California.
Location
Ponderosa Room B
Presentation Type
Presentation
Presentation Topic
Law, Women Studies, Chicana feminism and Intersectionality
Start Date
6-3-2026 11:15 AM
Event Sort Order
25
Abstract
Is America the home of the brave and free? But for whom? As a Mexican American scholar, I have long questioned how protected my freedom truly is, especially when the histories of people are overlooked or erased within the U.S. education system. One of the most silenced histories involves the sterilization of Mexican American women under eugenic ideologies. Sterilization is a medical procedure that permanently prevents pregnancy, which became a tool of reproductive control that was justified through beliefs about heredity, poverty, and the fear of overpopulation among people of color. This research examines the impact of eugenics in California, focusing on the landmark case of Madrigal v. Quiligan, in which ten Mexican American women filed a civil rights lawsuit in 1976 against the Los Angeles County USC Medical Center. This lawsuit was led by Dolores Madrigal. These women alleged they were coerced or denied informed consent before undergoing sterilization. By analyzing how national eugenic policy became localized in California and disproportionately targeted Mexican American women, my work highlights the deep reproductive injustices embedded in U.S. medical history. Further, by incorporating the voice and stories of the women impacted, I connect these events to the foundation of Chicana feminism, framing resistance, memory, and reclamation as acts of justice.
Our Bodies were not theirs: The Sterilization of Mexican-American women in California.
Ponderosa Room B
Is America the home of the brave and free? But for whom? As a Mexican American scholar, I have long questioned how protected my freedom truly is, especially when the histories of people are overlooked or erased within the U.S. education system. One of the most silenced histories involves the sterilization of Mexican American women under eugenic ideologies. Sterilization is a medical procedure that permanently prevents pregnancy, which became a tool of reproductive control that was justified through beliefs about heredity, poverty, and the fear of overpopulation among people of color. This research examines the impact of eugenics in California, focusing on the landmark case of Madrigal v. Quiligan, in which ten Mexican American women filed a civil rights lawsuit in 1976 against the Los Angeles County USC Medical Center. This lawsuit was led by Dolores Madrigal. These women alleged they were coerced or denied informed consent before undergoing sterilization. By analyzing how national eugenic policy became localized in California and disproportionately targeted Mexican American women, my work highlights the deep reproductive injustices embedded in U.S. medical history. Further, by incorporating the voice and stories of the women impacted, I connect these events to the foundation of Chicana feminism, framing resistance, memory, and reclamation as acts of justice.
Presenter Bio
I was born in 2002 in Libertyville, Illinois, to two Mexican parents who decided to immigrate to the United States. In the late 90s, my father decided to leave everything he knew behind in Mexico, leaving my mother behind with my brother, who was only a few months old. He made the arduous journey to the United States. Little did my father know that my mother would do the same thing. I am the daughter of immigrants. I hold the past and present histories of my family. I am the daughter of immigrants who worked endless hours to put me through college and love me like no other. My parents are the bravest people on earth that I have ever met. Without them, I would not be in this beautiful country we call home. I wouldn't be here at the University of Central Oklahoma without their sacrifice. My parents' passion for me to have a better life and education has always influenced my life. I have my BA in Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies with a minor in Human Resource Management and am currently getting a master's at the University of Central Oklahoma MPS program.