Abstract

This article discusses the history of eugenics starting with the beginning of the movement as a scientific justification for the incarceration and sterilization of people deemed disabled. It then goes on to describe how these practices were modified and used by the German Nazis during World War II. In the next section, three case studies are detailed where feminist movements and feminist actions have used ableism as a means of getting themselves ahead. The first explains Margaret Sanger's choices when deciding where to put her Planned Parenthood locations, the second shows a case of sterilization happening in recent history, and the third reveals a personal experience from the author where these concepts were used in their own life. The essay ends with strategies on how one can directly challenge one's own biases when it comes to ableism and ableist rhetoric, starting with recognizing ableism, then moving on to counteracting ableism through calling-in, raising the voices of disabled people, and moving toward practices of universal design.