Sexuality, Politics, and Social Control in Virginia, 1920-1945Univ of North Carolina Press, 2007 M09 6 - 272 pages In the first half of the twentieth century, white elites who dominated Virginia politics sought to increase state control over African Americans and lower-class whites, whom they saw as oversexed and lacking sexual self-restraint. In order to reaffirm the existing political and social order, white politicians legalized eugenic sterilization, increased state efforts to control venereal disease and prostitution, cracked down on interracial marriage, and enacted statewide movie censorship. Providing a detailed picture of the interaction of sexuality, politics, and public policy, Pippa Holloway explores how these measures were passed and enforced. The white elites who sought to expand government's role in regulating sexual behavior had, like most southerners, a tradition of favoring small government, so to justify these new policies, they couched their argument in economic terms: a modern, progressive government could provide optimum conditions for business growth by maintaining a stable social order and a healthy, docile workforce. Holloway's analysis demonstrates that the cultural context that characterized certain populations as sexually dangerous worked in tandem with the political context that denied them the right to vote. This perspective on sexual regulation and the state in Virginia offers further insight into why white elite rule mattered in the development of southern governments. |
Contents
1 | |
1 A Decade of New Legislation | 21 |
2 Disciplining Sexual Behavior | 52 |
Venereal Disease as a Social Problem | 77 |
4 Conflict Dissent and Venereal Disease Control | 111 |
5 Birth Control and Social Progress | 129 |
Protecting Social Hygiene | 147 |
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activities advocates African American arrested Assembly authority barbers believed bill birth control Byrd called campaign censors censorship citizens city’s clinics Committee concern County Court demonstrated district doctors economic efforts enforcement established eugenic example expanded facility fact families federal funds girls held hospital important increased individuals infection involved issues leaders legislation legislature March marriage mental military moral Norfolk noted officials particular passed patients period physicians Plecker policies political population position problem programs progressive proposal prostitution protect public health race Racial Integrity result Richmond sexual behavior sexual danger sexual regulation Smith social sought South southern state’s sterilization suggested syphilis testing tion treat treatment venereal disease control vice Virginia white elites white women women workers young
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Page 239 - Opinions of the Attorney General and Report to the Governor of Virginia, from July 1, 1935, to June 30, 1936.