Stern Alexandra Minna, Novak Nicole L, Lira Natalie, O'Connor Kate, Harlow Siobán, Kardia Sharon
Alexandra Minna Stern and Kate O'Connor are with the Department of American Culture, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Nicole Novak, Siobán Harlow, and Sharon Kardia are with the Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Michigan. Natalie Lira is with the Department of Latina/Latino Studies, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Am J Public Health. 2017 Jan;107(1):50-54. doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2016.303489. Epub 2016 Nov 17.
From 1919 to 1952, approximately 20 000 individuals were sterilized in California's state institutions on the basis of eugenic laws that sought to control the reproductive capacity of people labeled unfit and defective. Using data from more than 19 000 sterilization recommendations processed by state institutions over this 33-year period, we provide the most accurate estimate of living sterilization survivors. As of 2016, we estimate that as many as 831 individuals, with an average age of 87.9 years, are alive. We suggest that California emulate North Carolina and Virginia, states that maintained similar sterilization programs and recently have approved monetary compensation for victims. We discuss the societal obligation for redress of this historical injustice and recommend that California seriously consider reparations and full accountability.
从1919年到1952年，加利福尼亚州立机构依据优生法律对约2万名个体实施了绝育，这些法律旨在控制被标记为不适合和有缺陷者的生育能力。利用该州机构在这33年期间处理的超过1.9万份绝育建议的数据，我们对在世的绝育幸存者进行了最准确的估计。截至2016年，我们估计仍有多达831名幸存者在世，他们的平均年龄为87.9岁。我们建议加利福尼亚州效仿北卡罗来纳州和弗吉尼亚州，这两个州曾实施过类似的绝育计划，且最近已批准对受害者进行金钱赔偿。我们讨论了纠正这一历史不公的社会义务，并建议加利福尼亚州认真考虑赔偿和全面问责。
