Aletta Jacobs

Aletta Henriëtte Jacobs (9 February 1854 – 10 August 1929) was a Dutch physician and women's suffrage activist. As the first woman officially to attend a Dutch university, she became one of the first female physicians in the Netherlands. In 1882, she founded the world's first birth control clinic and was a leader in both the Dutch and international women's movements. She led campaigns aimed at deregulating prostitution, improving women's working conditions, promoting peace and calling for women's right to vote.

Quotes

 * The word “prostitution” was not allowed to be mentioned in proper company.... How often have I tried in vain to throw down that wall of prejudice and routine! I am thinking, among other things, of a dispute with one of my professors. Completely in good faith, "Professor" proclaimed the position held by almost everyone at the time, that for a man satisfying his sex drive was a requirement of health and that it was therefore in the community's interest to ensure that by satisfying that drive no or minimal damage was done to his health. “If that is really your opinion,” I replied, “you are morally obliged to make your daughters available for this purpose.”


 * I would like to tell you about a not unpleasant experience that I had in the first years of my career... After prolonged treatment, I was able to assure the wife of an Amsterdam patrician that she was cured of a serious gynecological ailment, which she had suffered for many years. As was customary in those years, I submitted my account at the start of the new year. A few days later I received a visit from the husband of my ex-patient.... “What gave you the idea!” he shouted, full of indignation. “You must surely know that no one thinks of paying women's work as highly as work done by men.”.... “Did you then,” I asked very calmly, “when your wife was indeed seriously ill, seek inferior and therefore cheap medical help for her? I suspect that it was primarily good help you sought. I thought that was why you turned to me, the only female doctor in the Netherlands.” “Are you,” I asked further, “are you really seriously complaining about a bill based on the rates set by my male colleagues? You should rather appreciate that I adhere to this, instead of relying on the privileged position of being the only female doctor in the country for the time being and therefore being paid more expensively than the other Amsterdam physicians.” ....his wife came to pay the bill a few days later....
 * Aletta Jacobs - Herinneringen, Socialistische Uitgeverij Nijmegen, 1978