The Unfit Heiress: The Tragic Life and Scandalous Sterilization of Ann Cooper Hewitt
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For readers of The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks and The Phantom of Fifth Avenue , a page-turning drama of fortunes, eugenics and women&apos;s reproductive rights framed by the sordid court battle between Ann Cooper Hewitt and her socialite mother. At the turn of the twentieth century, American women began to reject Victorian propriety in favor of passion and livelihood outside the home. This alarmed authorities, who feared certain "over-sexed" women could destroy civilization if allowed to reproduce and pass on their defects. Set against this backdrop, The Unfit Heiress chronicles the fight for inheritance, both genetic and monetary, between Ann Cooper Hewitt and her mother Maryon. In 1934, aided by a California eugenics law, the socialite Maryon Cooper Hewitt had her "promiscuous" daughter declared feebleminded and sterilized without her knowledge. She did this to deprive Ann of millions of dollars from her father&apos;s estate, which contained a child-bearing stipulation. When a sensational court case ensued, the American public was captivated. So were eugenicists, who saw an opportunity to restrict reproductive rights in America for decades to come. This riveting story unfolds through the brilliant research of Audrey Clare Farley, who captures the interior lives of these women on the pages and poses questions that remain relevant today: What does it mean to be "unfit" for motherhood? In the battle for reproductive rights, can we forgive the women who side against us? And can we forgive our mothers if they are the ones who inflict the deepest wounds?


Sticky notes: On Kindle Scribe
Page Flip: Enabled
Language: English
File size: 3554 KB
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Print length: 305 pages
Publication date: April 20, 2021
Enhanced typesetting: Enabled
Word Wise: Enabled
subtitle: Kindle Edition
author: Visit Amazon's Audrey Clare Farley Page search results Audrey Clare Farley