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Poster for a public hearing reads "Stop forced sterilization. Alto a esterilizacion forzada!" with four drawn figures with their fists up.
"Stop forced sterilization" poster by Rachael Romero, San Francisco Poster Brigade. (Photo: Library of Congress)

Ten Mexican-American women file a civil suit for sterilization abuse in Los Angeles.

1975

STER
LAT
LEG
MED
"Stop forced sterilization" poster by Rachael Romero, San Francisco Poster Brigade. (Photo: Library of Congress)

The women were involuntarily sterilized between 1971-1974 at the Los Angeles County Medical Center.

In Madrigal v. Quilligan, they fight for hospitals to provide counseling and consent forms in Spanish about sterilization procedures. Their case is denied based on the notion that what happened was simply a "communication breakdown" between doctor and client. However, following the case, the California Department of Health will create a 72-hour waiting period before sterilization, and will issue a booklet on sterilization in Spanish.