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Just a few months ago, a Michigan state representative was banned from speaking on her own legislature’s floor after saying “vagina.” In Virginia, a squeamish lawmaker simply called it “V.” This year, several states also enacted laws mandating that abstinence be stressed in sex education classes, bringing to 26 the total number of states with such policies. Meanwhile, Todd “legitimate rape” Akin schooled us in medieval biology. ‘Nuff said.
Somehow, we’ve arrived at a place where euphemisms are preferable, ignorance is tolerated, and politicians are seeking to turn back the clock on a woman’s right to dictate the terms of her personal and professional future.
So, in recognition of World Contraception Day, we put together this slideshow. Pulled from archives at the National Institutes of Health, these vintage contraception ads from around the globe date back as far as 1969. They tell it like it is—with humor, a few tacky hairdos, and a bluntness that will surely please anyone who’s tired of the talk-arounds.
1986, London Family Planning Association National Library of Medicine
1980, Family Planning Association of Queensland National Library of Medicine
1991, Gambia Family Planning Association National Library of Medicine
“Careful! Don’t take a step without your sandal. When it’s time to decide, you have a lot to choose from.” 1995, Fundación Mexicana para la Planeación Familiar (MEXFAM) National Library of Medicine
1980s, Planned Parenthood Association of Utah National Library of Medicine
1996, Senegal Ministere de la Sante et de l’Action Sociale (MSAS) National Library of Medicine
1978, Pharmacy Planning Service National Library of Medicine
1993, Family Planning Association of Hong Kong (FPAHK) National Library of Medicine
Fundación Mexicana para la Planeación Familiar (MEXFAM) National Library of Medicine
1993, Zimbabwe National Family Planning Council (ZNFPC) National Library of Medicine
1969, India Ministry of Health, Family Planning, and Urban Development National Library of Medicine
Caribbean Family Planning Affiliation (CFPA) National Library of Medicine
1970, London Family Planning Association National Library of Medicine
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