Protestant leaders once championed birth control – not to liberate women, but as part of ‘responsible parenthood’

As birth control became increasingly accepted, some supporters’ views were based in religious beliefs about what motherhood should look like.

By: Samira Mehta, University of Colorado Boulder, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: May 6, 2026

Words: 1,424

Last Updated: 2 months, 3 weeks ago

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By Samira Mehta, University of Colorado Boulder

Mother’s Day seems like a strange time to celebrate birth control, which, on its most basic level, is about helping people to not become mothers – or not become mothers again.

But in the mid-20th century, much of birth control’s growing support came from attempts to support American women not as feminists, but as mothers. This is the story that I focus on in my 2026 book, “God …

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