Thank you.

Dedication

To all those who have championed my cause.

Acknowledgments

As this project has consumed the better part of a decade, I have amassed a great personal and professional debt of gratitude for which the words in this acknowledgement can surely never reconcile. To those who have invested their time and energy into me and by extension this project I am forever grateful.

I came to this area of research in a Historiographic Methods class during my graduate education at Ohio University. What began as a simple term paper, quickly became my dissertation topic, and is now the subject of my first book. This trajectory would not have been possible without the support of my amazing mentors and advisers – chief among them Dr. Raymie McKerrow and Dr. Judith Lee. As a first-year graduate student I was beyond lucky to have Dr. McKerrow assigned as my adviser. While most people in the field of communication know him as an influential rhetorical scholar, I know him as a kind mentor and fierce advocate for his students. The existence of this book is a testament to his willingness to advocate on behalf of his students for it was on his insistence that I was given license to abandon many of the traditional confines of the dissertation and write what was essentially the first draft of this book. Dr. Lee was the professor in that fated Historiographic Methods class and the passion with which she talked about her own experiences in the archives was infectious – inspiring me to pursue historical research. As a member of my dissertation committee, Dr. Lee made me a better writer and scholar. I think of her fondly every time I consult the Chicago Manual of Style and I am grateful to have been on the receiving end of her fastidious editorial eye. Many thanks also to Dr. Katherine Jellison whose Women in American History courses taught me the power of listening to women and telling their stories. Finally, thank you to Dr. jw Smith whose friendship and mentoring sustained me through some of the most challenging times in my life both then and now. I am also immensely thankful for the comradery of my fellow graduate students at Ohio University, in particular Jenn Seifert, Justin Rudnick, Anna Wiederhold Wolfe, Rebecca Mercado Jones, and Tennley Vik who made the doctoral experience bearable and continue to inspire me to be a better scholar and teacher even as our paths diverged. 

While many people abandon their dissertations and move on to new projects, I was determined to bring this one to fruition. I am thankful that it took the better part of ten years because in that time I have grown immensely as a scholar and writer. This book bears little resemblance to the original dissertation and I have several people to thank for that. First and foremost, I owe a unique debt of gratitude to Victoria Ledford who serendipitously became by most trusted confidant when writing this book. From the initial proposal to the final draft Victoria served as a sounding board, a cheerleader, and an editor; she helped me work through my ideas and thoughtfully reviewed my work providing candid feedback which immensely improved the final product. She gave freely of her time and mental energy even when they were in short supply but, perhaps most importantly, she unflinchingly believed in me and the value of this project. Working through my thoughts on long walks was an integral part of my process and Candice Rios-Wenmoth and Scotti Branton were often on the receiving end of my ramblings. They helped me process, encouraged me through bouts of writer’s block, posed interesting questions, and simply listened. Thank you for your friendship and for letting me dominate the conversation. My deepest appreciation also extends to Jeremy Frazer and Benjamin Pyle whose careful readings and insightful comments on previous iterations of this work challenged me to be a better writer and more attentive scholar.

The well-worn adage “it takes a village” aptly describes how I feel about my journey to publish this book – there likely isn’t a person in my life over the last 10 years that hasn’t heard me talk about this project. Having moved over 1,000 miles away from home at 18, I have been profoundly shaped by the many villages who welcomed me with open arms. To my WKU family, thank you for teaching me how to be a functioning adult, fostering my passion for rhetoric, and surrounding me with profound examples of how to be an advocate. To my fellow Bobcats, thank you for teaching me the power of community and how to find the sweet spot between work and play. Athens will always be one of my favorite places on Earth because of the memories we created there and the lasting bonds it fostered. The Hilltoppers and Bowling Green get a second mention as it was the place I called home from 2013-2018 and the people who supported me in finishing my dissertation and starting this book. Without the steadfast support of my colleagues, friends, and students I am not sure I would have made it to the finish line. Although my return to WKU was in many ways a detour from my previously established path, I am immensely grateful for this time in my life; it gave me some of my proudest moments, my closest friends, and the love of my life. To my CrossFit Old School and Crossfit Conjugate crews thank you for giving me an outlet, a place largely free of work talk, and a daily reminder that I can do hard things.

My village is a filled with friends who have become family. For their faithful companionship and unwavering support I thank Tony Sylvester, Chris Joffrion, Sherri Marsh, Jennifer Pyle, Angelo Sylvester, Danielle Donley, Drew Wenmoth, Chad Meadows, Eliza Jackson, Mark Allseits, Lauren Nelson, Jeanie Adams-Smith, Melissa and Jordan Propst, Jeremiah and Andrea Sharpensteen, and Drew Shade. I am most grateful for the women who have become my surrogate sisters. For Meghan Luna who has believed in me for more than two decades and who was unquestionably my first soul mate.  For Liz Courtney whose measured advice and uncanny ability to make me laugh has helped me weather many storms. And for Lindsey Isaac whose friendship was perfectly timed and who always seems to know exactly what I need even when I don’t. These three women will never truly understand the impact they have had on my life. 

I am not convinced my wonderful husband, Damon, really knew what he was signing up for when I told him I was writing a book. Thank you for your patience and understanding as I shifted priorities to complete this project. You graciously retreated to the attic when I needed to focus, brought me snacks when I needed sustenance, and listened dutifully when I needed to vent. In our first two years of marriage, you sacrificed what should have been quality time together in service of my dream and instead of complaints or frustration you optimistically told me to get back to work on our “retirement plan.” Thank you – for everything my love.

To my family, the first people to believe in me and support my ambitions even when they took us away from each other, there is no way to sufficiently express my gratitude. My grandmothers, Lou Furgerson and Sandra Simpson, have always been a shining example of the kind of hard-working woman I strive to be. I felt a special kinship with them while researching the reproductive experiences of women throughout twentieth century America and am thankful for the many conversations we had about their own experiences. My grandfathers, Charles Edward, Sam Furgerson, and Buddy Simpson always encouraged me to ruthlessly pursue my own goals. In moments of self-doubt, I often looked at their pictures and reminded myself, as I know they would have, to give it hell. To my sister Nikki, thank you for always being my biggest fan. I really wish you could be here to read this book, but I know how proud you would have been to display it on your shelves. I miss you and I always will. My parents, Tom and Carla Furgerson, deserve a whole other book detailing the countless ways they have supported, encouraged, and empowered me to be the person I am today. Never once have they doubted my ability to achieve what I set my mind to, and never once have they judged me when things didn’t go according to plan. The regular conversations with my mom about this project were instrumental. She didn’t talk to me like an academic colleague would but instead like a woman whose made her own complicated choices, and my work is better for having that perspective. My dad’s excitement when I told him the book was getting published is one of my favorite things I have ever heard. He never stopped asking when he could get his pre-order in and that enthusiasm and pride truly sustained me. I decided to keep the last name Furgerson in marriage not just because it was the efficient choice or the feminist choice but because I am proud to be your daughter and to bear that name.

Finally, I must acknowledge the women represented in these pages. The women who lost their lives desperately trying to give their children a better lot in life. The women denied a say in their own reproductive destiny – both those forced into motherhood and those robbed of the chance. The women who suffered in the development of modern contraception and those who continue to suffer because we as women uniquely bear the biological burden of childbearing. To the brave pioneers of the movement thank you for your fervent defense, albeit imperfect, of voluntary motherhood and reproductive autonomy. And lastly, to those who are still fighting for reproductive justice may we have the audacity to keep going.