Ninety-six years ago today, the first birth control clinic in America opened in Brooklyn, New York. In 1916, 464 patients were seen before the clinic was shut down after ten days. Today, nearly 800 Planned Parenthood health centers in communities nationwide provide primary and preventive care to nearly 3 million patients a year.
This drawing is from a 1979 Planned Parenthood sexual health workbook and begins the chapter on venereal diseases, or what we might today call sexually transmitted infections. While some things (like hairstyles and clothing—hello nipples!) change, good sexual health advice (“If a person knows what is normal for their body, it makes it easier to identify changes that might indicate an infection”) is timeless.
Our founder, Margaret Sanger, was born 133 years ago today. Here’s to a great hero of our movement.
Vintage condom tins.
A fascinating history of birth control, especially condoms, in the United States since the 19th century. Let’s just say they’ve not been without controversy—but where there’s a will, there’s always a…euphemism.
We love vintage ladies health pamphlets: It’s 1979, and your PMS is killing you. So you clutch some leaves and head to the closest cliff, wondering whether you should heave yourself over and put an end to your PMS once and for all.
Don’t jump! Planned Parenthood is here to help.
The Internet didn’t exist in 1972, so folks had to rely on pamphlets featuring pictures of badly drawn monsters to educate themselves about syphilis and gonorrhea. A lot has changed in the last 40 years — for example, now we say sexually transmitted infection instead of VD (short for venereal disease). But it’s still true that syphilis and gonorrhea are completely curable when treated in the early stages. When was the last time you got tested?
Twenty years ago, it was possible to enjoy safer sex without the added hassle of removing your underwear. The Bikini Condom was essentially a pair of panties with a female condom embedded in the crotch. And if the picture on this pamphlet is any indication, you could also wear the Bikini Condom during other aerobic activities.
Today in LGBTQ History…
Early in the morning of June 28th, 1969, patrons of the Stonewall Inn, a New York City gay bar, fought back against police harassment and intimidation. The Stonewall Riots and further protests sparked the LGBTQ rights movement. Pride month commemorates these early protests and celebrates the achievements and contributions of LGBTQ individuals.
What were your birth control options 100 years ago? Hint: coughing after sex is not effective at preventing pregnancy.
Source: National Geographic
47 years ago today, the Supreme Court made birth control legal (only for married couples, though). Can you imagine what your life would be like if birth control weren’t legal?
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