Subjected to Painful Experiments and Forgotten, Enslaved 'Mothers of Gynecology' Are Honored With Ne
Subjected to Painful Experiments and Forgotten, Enslaved ‘Mothers of Gynecology’ Are Honored With New Monument
The statues acknowledge the suffering of bondswomen overshadowed by the white doctor who operated on them without their consent
Sarah Kuta
Daily Correspondent
May 11, 2022
Michelle Browder's Mothers of Gynecology monument in Montgomery Stephen Zucker via Flickr under CC BY-SA 2.0
For five years in the late 1840s, Anarcha, Betsey, Lucy and other unnamed enslaved women suffered at the hands of a white doctor who performed painful surgeries on the women without anesthesia, pain relief or consent.
Now, a monument honoring the Mothers of Gynecology stands in Montgomery, not far from where the procedures took place and roughly a mile from where a statue of J. Marion Sims, “the father of gynecology” who experimented on the women, still stands in front of the Alabama State Capitol.
Created by artist Michelle Browder from scrap metal, the monument includes three larger-than-life statues depicting Anarcha (15 feet tall), Betsey (12 feet tall) and Lucy (nine feet tall).
The statues incorporate meaningful—and painful—symbolism. Anarcha’s abdomen is empty, except for a single red rose where her uterus would be. Her womb sits nearby, full of cut glass, needles, medical instruments, scissors and sharp objects intended to help viewers feel the women’s pain and suffering.
More:
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/mothers-of-gynecology-monument-honors-enslaved-women-180980064/
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Horrible horror.
Colson Whitehead included some of this history in his novel, Underground Railroad. That book tore my heart out. I could only get through a little at a time, but I am so glad a read it. He is my favorite contemporary author right now. I recommend anything by him.
