Eugenics Facts Sheet

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University Of Connecticut *

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Anthropology

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Oct 30, 2023

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Eugenics Fact Sheet What is Eugenics? ● A form of ‘scientific racism’ ● How a group of eugenicist used science to try and ‘prove’ that their were undesirable human traits in order to bring forth superior white supremacy ● Use of mendelian principles in order to demonstrate how unwanted disabilities, races, and over all humans was hereditary and in-order to control this was to sterilize the ‘unwanted’ ● Scientific Racism – “is an ideology that appropriates the methods and legitimacy of science to argue for the superiority of white Europeans and the inferiority of non-white people.” ● A way in eugenicist to control and manipulate human reproduction in order for future generations to be more ‘superior’ History of Eugenics ● Francis Galton derived the term ● Davenport establishes the Eugenics record office at cold spring harbor laboratory ● The American Breeders association was the first U.S based organization to study and promote eugenics. ● Indiana Passed the first sterilization law ● Three international congress of Eugenics were held ● President Calvin Coolide signed the Johnson-Reed Act ● Oregon is the last state to repeal its sterilization law Types of Eugenics Practices ● Positive: encourage breeding between individuals with desirable traits ● Negative: discourage breeding between individuals with undesirable traits ● Methods ○ Sterilization: prevent undesirable individuals from breeding by tying their vas deferens (Male) or fallopian tubes (Female) ○ Forced abortions: enforce intentional pregnancy terminations on undesirable individuals with pregnancies ○ Ostracization: shun undesirable individuals from society if they are to produce offspring Groups Affected by Eugenics Practices ● The Holocaust: Jews being genocided by Nazis, but favored the blue eyes and blonde hair as they represented the Aryan Race that they deemed superior ● Individuals with illnesses, diseases, unhealthy, undesired genetics, homosexuals were all deemed “abnormal” ● African American women being sterilized ● Churches that mentions eugenics in their religious beliefs The Ethical Implications with Eugenics

● Extremely unpopular due to connotations with previous eugenics movements and their ties to racism/bigotry ● Scientific circles rarely consider the perspectives of marginalized groups or individuals whose traits are being discussed (i.e. not involving people with disabilities in discourse around potential elimination of their disabilities from the gene pool) ● “Undesirable” and “inferior” as undefinable terms ● Morality of positive (promotion of breeding for certain traits) versus negative (antagonism of breeding for certain traits) eugenics ● Tie-ins with other controversial topics - abortion, contraception, sterilization ● Requirements of competence, compassion, and unbiased leadership from those in charge of major eugenics decisions (i.e. what traits to eliminate/promote) Anti-Eugenics Practices/Policies ● In 2015, state-enabled programs to deprive people of fertility for eugenic reasons no longer operate. The eugenic thesis that most forms of mental illness, mental disability, criminality, and social deviance are driven by single-gene disorders is scientifically untenable. ● The 2011 Istanbul Convention prohibits forced sterilization in most European countries (Article 39). Widespread or systematic forced sterilization has been recognized as a Crime against Humanity by the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court in the explanatory memorandum. It does not have universal jurisdiction, with the United States, Russia and China among the countries to exclude themselves. However, as of 2015, this may pose a human rights violation and LGBTQ-specific international treaties may need to be developed in order to protect LGBTQ human rights. ● Technologically advanced nations have a reduction in the incidence of children born with chromosomal and genetic disorders. Due to couples using DNA-based carrier testing and screening for fetal aneuploidy to assess reproductive risk and whole exome sequencing to determine fetal status (this is a standard practice in the USA (since 2010) and European Union (since 2008)). More reproductive options are becoming available such as in vitro fertilization, with prenatal diagnosis and preimplantation genetic testing of embryos, or the use of donor gametes. ● If researchers establish that some of the relatively common copy-number variants are strongly associated with risk for significant behavioral and/or cognitive disorders, it is likely that they will be added to the list of targets screened during prenatal diagnosis. Eugenics in the Modern World ● Embryo engineering: embryos can be developed in labs to be tested and edited ● Pre-implantation diagnosis: diagnosing an embryo with a genetic disorder before implanted ● CRISPR-Cas9: removing and replacing specific genes ● Genetic modifications - using laboratory techniques to alter DNA of an organism ● Genetic selection - the specific sperm or egg used to produce genes that associate with specific traits and characteristics

● Human advancement technology includes: Cas9, genetic testing, zinc-finger editing, and the list only continues ● Selective breeding - is choosing specific parents to breed together and have a specific outcome enhancing the “best” combination of traits desired for the parents of the offspring

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