European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - March 22, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Magazine a Ottn if a  Wtown a Fatus end thu met Jewr i m inf Wesler in my one who s Here Katharine Hepburn crusading for birth control by Leslie Bennetts new York times nearly 70 years ago. A Rio Lorinc Tsuu Ragil known As mrs. Thomas Hepburn heard Margaret Sanger speak on the feedlot both control the message changed her Hepburn the Wile of s prominent Connecticut doctor decided that women needed birth control oven More than they a coded the vote a charismatic speaker and a fiery debater she proceeded to Del her own  energies toward helping to found what was known As the " big in control move Merji although Hepburn rave led around the county Lor Many years in support of her cause speaking in Locums As diverse As churches country clubs and colleges she found her listeners increasingly eager to hear about her famous daughter the actress Katharine Hepburn indeed by the mid 1930s, questions were As Likely to focus on the Hepburn haircut which swept the country after the movie Little women was released As on uie issues she had come to address. Hepburn died int 951 at the age of 73, but her daughter do spa a a ferocious commitment to privacy that frequently resulted in Stormy rotations with the press has earned on the Amity tradition using her own visibility to support reproductive rights publicly and Consia Henlly. The planned Paten Hood federation honoured both Katharine Houghlon Hepburn and her daughter at a gala Bonfil in new York this month establishing the Katharine Houghton Hepburn fund a special operating fund to permit an immediate response of emergencies thai arise in the Bailie of maintain reproductive rights. Although Hepburn has been working with planned parenthood Tho nation s oldest and largest voluntary family planning organization Only since 1981, her Mother s tins with Tho group were longstanding she worked closely will Sanger who founded planned parenthood in 1916 in the Caily years of their crusade the opposition was formidable it included an outraged roman Catholic slab Ashmont a general Public inhibited by Post victorian prudery and Connecticut Scala obscenity Laws that Macro it illegal to Send through the mails any information or device thai might be designed for the prevention of Conception. It was even a crime for doctors to disseminate sued information or Tell anyone where it might to obtained. Despite the repressive climate. Ideas Tike birth control were As much a part of the Hepburn household As cold showers a daily discipline rigorously promoted by or. Hepburn a urologist and a Pioneer in social Hygiene. Tuesday March 22, 1988 All these things were discussed endlessly and i think just took them for Gian led Hepburn Saida recent interview All Mother s Irieta xes were very advanced and it never really occurred to to that women were supposed to be inferior. Daddy wrote an article in 1900 about How women had very Superior minds and How even though they were not As Strong physically As men they were certainly As Bright  Hepburn herself was orphaned at 14 her mothers dying words were got an  she did graduating from syn mawr and going on to earn a master s degree in Art history Al Rad cafe. Although mrs. Hepburn was a member of the wealthy Houghton family which founded coming Glass she had a Strong sense of empathy for the less fortunate. The upper class women an gel birth Contra information from their doctors bul Iho very people who need it most Iho people who Are poor or on Relief do not she declared in 1936. Even among the affluent family size was Dill cult to control Hepburn bore six children of whom cathar inc was Tho second and her own Mother had 11 children in 18 pregnancies. Hepburn s crusade Oflyn prompted charges thai she was trying to corrupt the populace. We Are not trying to produce in Mcalily among the Young we Are trying to explain the use of human intelligence to control human nature she responded. Such views did not necessarily endear the pc Burns to their neighbors in Fenwick conn., but their children reacted with the family s characteristic disavowal of self pity or other such indulgence. We were aware of a lot of opposition when we went to Fenwick and Mother was a Lilse bit  we d to snubbed Hepburn recalled it was a very conservative place and they were All republicans so they naturally disagreed Wilh everything Mother was fighting for. I knew i was l really a member of the club but i think it afle cled me very Loralu Nalolny it makes you ambitious when you Gal snubbed a hit. I just Iho Ughi they were wrong " Over Iho years Hepburn s views became More familiar it no less controversial. When confronted Wlsh the birth control Issue slate legislators were embarrassed and terrified she said in a 1941 in Arview. They nudged each other like  she said but alter 10 years of it. They got used to  in their testimony Hepburn and Sanger Ollen made use at heart rending letters from women desperate to limit the size of their families. I am Only 34 years of age and 1 Hava Given birth to 12 children Only Thiee of them being ave read one written in 1934. Thoy died so quickly Flor they were born that it seems they did not have Iho strength to inv a on. My husband is a Good hard working Man but the most to Mado is to 50. To Are poor people and it Collins of the last three have not been paid Lor yet. It is had to see them go like thai but to i did not have any Mere for a while i could keep Iho three that i have got Hepburn was keenly aware of the interrelationship of birth control and abortion which was wide spiced abortions would be unnecessary if birth control we Fqy practice she asserted n 1936. Ii would eliminate Tho causes of abc1ions. Of which there Are some 500.000 every year in the United  her daughter has Long been an Oul spoken supporter of abortion rights about which she has never on obtained doubts. Mono at All Hepburn said a y. The people who Are Olive Are Liia ones who Inie Fesi me. I m not particularly interested in die next world because i have no control Over in at All. Ii there is a Competition beige in a Leius and the Mother who is carrying the Lelus i m interested in Ino one who s hero Sho added. If a 13-year-old a has a baby what s she going to do with it abortion is necessary unless women arc going to be  Mot that Hepburn underestimates the complexity Al such problems. It s a mess in t in she said. I Don t think it s attractive any of it abortion birth control i just think it s the Only practical Way to handle a situation where Tho population would go mad otherwise there Are Loo Many of us anyway. Ii seems to base  the stars and stripes Paga 13