"Unfit to Breed" Recap: America’s Eugenics Legacy
On May 5th, 2026, we gathered for our "Unfit to Breed" Mindful Discussion, focused on one of the most disturbing and often erased chapters of American history: eugenics in the United States. What emerged from the conversation was more than a history lesson; rather, a warning. Eugenics is unfortunately not a relic of the past—the ideals of deciding whose lives are valuable, whose bodies deserve autonomy, and who is considered “fit” to exist continue to shape systems of power today.
The Violence Behind “Genetic Fitness”
Eugenics is the belief that society can be “improved” by controlling who is allowed to reproduce. In practice, this ideology targeted poor people, disabled people, Black and Indigenous communities, immigrants, incarcerated people, and anyone deemed “undesirable” by those in power.
Supporters framed eugenics as science, but in reality, it was discrimination veiled as medical language.
The United States became a global leader in eugenic policy during the early 20th century. State governments passed laws allowing forced sterilization, institutionalization, and reproductive control over marginalized communities. Such policies were publicly supported by politicians, judges, academics, and medical professionals.
Even President Theodore Roosevelt argued that so-called “feebleminded” individuals and criminals should not reproduce. In 1927, the U.S. Supreme Court legitimized forced sterilization in the infamous Buck v. Bell decision. Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr., writing for the majority, declared: “Three generations of imbeciles are enough.”
What is often left out of the American narrative is that Nazi Germany later studied and borrowed from U.S. eugenics laws while constructing its own racial purity programs. America helped lay the groundwork for this ideology.
The Relf Sisters: A Story America Tried to Ignore
One of the most heartbreaking examples of this mindset is the case of Minnie Lee and Mary Alice Relf.
In 1973, the sisters, who were just 14 and 12 years old, were taken to a family planning clinic in Montgomery, Alabama. Without their knowledge or consent, doctors sterilized them.
Their mother, who could not read, had been told the girls were receiving birth control shots; instead, the sisters lost the ability to ever have children.
With support from the Southern Poverty Law Center, the family sued. Their case helped push the federal government to establish informed consent protections for sterilization procedures. Despite the national attention, the lawsuit was eventually dismissed because of changes in agency regulations. The Relf sisters received no compensation for what was done to them.
Today, the sisters continue to live with the lifelong emotional and physical consequences of state-sanctioned abuse. Their story forces us to ask uncomfortable questions: Whose bodies are protected? Whose suffering is ignored? And why are some communities still treated as disposable?
Where Do We Stand Now?
Many people want to believe forced sterilization belongs to another era. But as of early 2025, more than 30 states still have laws permitting the forced sterilization of disabled individuals under certain conditions.
That fact alone should alarm every person who believes in bodily autonomy and human rights.
The language may have changed, but the underlying systems remain familiar. Disabled people are still denied agency. Poor communities still face reproductive surveillance. Black and Brown women still experience disproportionate medical neglect and coercion. The same structures that justified eugenics continue to influence healthcare, incarceration, immigration policy, and access to reproductive care.
Protecting bodily autonomy means defending the right of all people—especially marginalized people— to make decisions about their own lives without coercion from the state, medical institutions, or political movements. Staying informed matters. Voting matters. Supporting survivors matters. Challenging ableism, racism, and misogyny matters. Most importantly, speaking out matters.
Because history has shown us what happens when society decides that some lives are worth more than others.
Remember to Be Mindful, Be Purposeful, and Be Positive, and thank you for reading.
Best,
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