Malcolm X Was Right: The Government Has a Fetish With Black Women's Bodies.
The Government’s Unwanted Love Affair with Black Women’s Bodies
"The most disrespected person in America is the Black woman." – Malcolm X.
Malcolm X did not hold back, and he was correct. Those words hit hard then, and they hit even harder now. Black women in America have long been subjected to a toxic cocktail of disrespect, dehumanization, and exploitation. And it does not just happen in casual encounters—oh no. It is embedded in the system, primarily in how our bodies are handled, controlled, and discarded. From the history of forced sterilizations to modern-day healthcare manipulation, the struggle for Black women's autonomy continues.
The truth is Black women's bodies have always been a battleground. This is something we need to talk about—loudly. The forced sterilization of the Relf sisters is one of the ugliest chapters in this fight, but it is far from the last. It serves as a stark illustration of how government-sanctioned control over Black women's bodies links directly from the past to the present.
The Relf Sisters: A Case of Coercion and Deception That Continues to Haunt Us
In 1973, two young sisters, Minnie Lee and Mary Alice Relf, were subjected to a profound injustice that is almost hard to comprehend. Their mother, a woman who could not read or write and signed her name with an "X," was tricked into signing consent papers for a sterilization procedure. The authorities made it seem like just another routine appointment. However, it was not a life-altering, irreversible decision that Minnie Lee and Mary Alice did not have the agency to make. They were victims of a government-backed eugenics program designed to sterilize poor, disabled, and Black women.
These girls, like so many others, were stripped of their reproductive rights most horrifically. The fact that this occurred in government-funded clinics during the 1970s is not merely a historical incident but a crucial reminder. This was not an isolated case, and the Relf sisters' story only became known because someone was brave enough to fight back. When the truth came out, it exposed the systematic abuse taking place under the guise of "helping" those who were deemed "undesirable." They were not helping—they were controlling. And it is essential to remember this was not some rogue incident. The state was complicit, and they got away with it for far too long.
From Then to Now: The Government's Ongoing Targeting of Black Women
The government has not stopped trying to control Black women. Sure, they do not sterilize us in secret clinics anymore, but that does not mean we are not still under attack. Today, we see the same insidious pattern in programs disguised as "public health" initiatives. These programs claim to help Black women, but they often serve to control our reproductive choices, painting them as issues that need "fixing."
Do you think I am exaggerating? Let us talk about the maternal mortality crisis, where Black women die at rates three to four times higher than white women during childbirth. And when Black women speak up about pain or complications, they are often ignored, dismissed, or flat-out told they are "Too strong" to need help. They do not care—that's neglect. This is the legacy of that same eugenic mindset: Black women are seen as less deserving of adequate care, less worthy of being heard. It is not just childbirth. From forced contraception to misleading "health" programs targeting our communities, the government continues to operate in the same manner as it did with the Relf sisters, making decisions for us, manipulating us, and perpetuating the narrative that Black women's bodies are vulnerable. They are not interested in our well-being. They are interested in control.
Let us not forget how these programs operate in the name of "helping." The truth is that they are not about helping us—they are about controlling us. The eugenics mindset has not gone anywhere—it is just more covert now.
It's Time to Rise: Black Women Deserve More Than Just Control
The Relf sisters' story did not just highlight a disgusting chapter in history—it lit a fire we need to keep burning. Black women deserve better. We deserve better than being treated as problems to be solved or bodies to be controlled. It is time we stopped being gaslighted by the system. We are not "too strong" to be heard. We are not "too strong" to get the care we need.
The fight for Black women's reproductive rights is far from over. If anything, it is more urgent than ever. We need to demand better. We must reject policies that target us and start pushing for real change. That means holding the government accountable, fighting for health equity, and ensuring that Black women have access to quality healthcare and the right to make informed decisions about their bodies, on our terms, not theirs.
Let's ensure the Relf sisters' legacy is one of action, not perpetuation. The struggle is ongoing, but it's up to us to keep pushing back.
This has been Zsanine R. Gross for Black Cognitive Rebirth. Remember, your body, your choice, your power.
References
Malcolm X: The Most Disrespected Person in America is the Black Woman."
Zora, Medium, 21 Feb. 2020, https://zora.medium.com/malcolm-x-stood-up-for-black-women-when-few-others-would-68e8b2ea2747.Relf v. Weinberger, 372 F. Supp. 1196 (D.D.C. 1974).
Justia, https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/FSupp/372/1196/1421341."Relf Sisters Sue for Involuntary Sterilization."
Civil Rights Voices, Facebook, 9 Dec. 2015, https://www.facebook.com/CivRightsVoices/videos/relf-sisters-sue-for-involuntary-sterilization/1237036710437828."Based on a True Story: The Sad Reality of Forced Sterilization in the U.S."
MCPress Mayo Clinic, Mayo Clinic, https://mcpress.mayoclinic.org/women-health/based-on-a-true-story-the-sad-reality-of-forced-sterilization-in-the-u-s.