Tony Hillerman, a decorated war veteran and celebrated author of the “Leaphorn and Chee” detective series, grew up knowing the Navajo people very well. The Netflix show Dark Winds is based on his novels.
The shocking truth of forced sterilization of indigenous women is highlighted in the first season of Dark Winds, based on the book Listening Woman. However, eugenics in the United States included all non-white populations, people with disabilities, and members of other minority groups.
Indiana was the first state to legalize eugenics in 1907. Although the laws in Indiana were repealed in 1974, the effects of this shameful history are still with us today, especially amongst our communities of color. Those who were sterilized without their consent, many of whom are still living, faced the social stigma of physically not being able to parent children as well as the social, mental, and emotional impacts of strangers misusing power to label them unworthy of parenthood.
Interested in learning more about the Love One Another initiative? Visit the archives.