California once passed a law to sterilize people against their will. The number was astonishing.

California once passed a law to sterilize people against their will. The number was astonishing.

The "Asexualization Act" of 1909, and it's sibling follow-up Acts of 1913 and 1917, gave the go-ahead for California to sterilize more than 20,000 men and women against their will.

These decisions were made, or backed, by a board that at one point was aptly named the, "State Commission in Lunacy."

Officially, the majority of the people sterilized were diagnosed as being "mentally ill" or "mentally deficient," or possessing”feeblemindedness."

Unofficially, African-Americans and people of Mexican origin underwent forced sterilizations to a degree greater than each group's per capita population would suggest.

The reasons for why California did this were pretty ridiculous. Essentially, the state ethought they were too drunk, too poor or too promiscuous. Even more than that, you could get fixed if they thought your parents were either of those things!

(Source)

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