Birth Control Sociology

Birth Control as a Sociological Phenomenon in the United States The approval of an effective birth control pill drastically reshaped the social landscape of the United States throughout the latter half of the twentieth century. Though the Pill was not the only form of birth control used in the U.S. during this period, it was perhaps the most significant as a source of change to the American social system, many of which were not related to reproductive decision making (Potts, 1988). By utilizing sociological concepts such as functionalism and the examination of social norms and symbols, it is clear that birth control as a whole affected not only childbearing decisions made by women and married couples, but also the role of women in society

When examining the use of the birth control from this perspective, it is necessary to look at both the manifest and latent functions of birth control in American society. The manifest function, or intended effect (Henslin, 2014, p. 25), of contraception is to prevent pregnancy resulting from sexual intercourse. However, birth control also has latent functions, or effects that were not intended (Henslin, 2014, p. 25). Because pregnancies can be postponed or prevented through the use of contraception, latent functions of birth control include giving women the agency to choose when they will have children as well as how many they have. Since the approval of the birth control pill in May 1960 and its subsequent explosion in popularity (Christmas & Schultz, 2008), the average number of children born per woman steadily decreased from its peak of 3.67 in 1960 to 1.89 in 2015, according to data collected by the United Nations (2015). Family planning through the use of birth control has had the latent function of diminishing total fertility rates among American

is the redefinition of social symbols related to the function of women in society. Symbols are crucial to the interpretation of interactions and communication with others (Henslin, p. 23, 2015). As stated previously, prior to the birth control revolution, American women were limited in what roles they played outside of being a mother. Contributing to this social limitation was Charles Cooley’s concept of the Looking Glass Self. Cooley believed that humans create internal images of themselves based on what others think of them (H. Haghshenas, lecture, September 29, 2015). Women internalized society’s expectations and perceptions, seeing no alternative to others’ predetermined role for women: wife and mother. But the expansion of birth control usage throughout the U.S. redefined the symbols of marriage and motherhood. No longer did marriage mean a woman primarily serving her husband. A mother was now more than a mother. Women became “doubly-important as homemakers and wage-earners” (Schmall, 2006). As women took control of their childbearing timelines, there was room in marriage and motherhood for a woman to have an education and a