Native American Women's Sterilization

Native American Women's Sterilization During the 1970's

Presenter: Emilee Williams

Presenter Status: Undergraduate student

Academic Year: 19-20

Semester: Spring

Department: Native American Studies

Funding Source/Sponsor: SYRCE Symposium

Screenshot URL: https://drive.google.com/uc?id=1f_WEEU1w_C6WFNiRkPtT1tPzVVxbbkV2

Abstract:
In this poster, the Native American Women's Sterilization is discussed and explained the issues and reasonings behind this event. Indian Women would go in for a normal procedure, but end up coming out not being able to have children. Doctors would either perform a hysterectomy or a tubal ligation. This was done to females as young as fifteen years old. British soldiers started doing this to Native American women in the 1970’s because they were trying to “kill off” the Native American population. Native Americans were targeted as victims because of their lifestyle and how they would not have been able to keep their population alive compared to other minority groups. Many of the doctors that would perform these procedures benefited from performing them on NAtive americans because they would get extra practice on the specific surgeries without having to pay money for practice. This horrific event that occured in the 1970’s has had a forever effect on the Native American population and will continue to have an effect.