Quorra I’m Barbara Brooks can you hear me now and I’m here to convince you that
me now and I’m here to convince you that
me now and I’m here to convince you that knowing your history makes a difference
knowing your history makes a difference
knowing your history makes a difference and I want you to think about the last
and I want you to think about the last
and I want you to think about the last month in Charlottesville Virginia where
month in Charlottesville Virginia where
month in Charlottesville Virginia where there was a riot over the removal of the
there was a riot over the removal of the
there was a riot over the removal of the statue of Robert Ely and one person died
statue of Robert Ely and one person died
statue of Robert Ely and one person died so we had two sides absolutely against
so we had two sides absolutely against
so we had two sides absolutely against each other because of effect of history
each other because of effect of history
each other because of effect of history and what was that fact in 1924 the
and what was that fact in 1924 the
and what was that fact in 1924 the community of Charlottesville Virginia
community of Charlottesville Virginia
community of Charlottesville Virginia thought they wanted to erect a statue to
thought they wanted to erect a statue to
thought they wanted to erect a statue to a hero who had defended their state who
a hero who had defended their state who
a hero who had defended their state who had defended slavery but in 2017 people
had defended slavery but in 2017 people
had defended slavery but in 2017 people in Charlottesville West Virginia didn’t
in Charlottesville West Virginia didn’t
in Charlottesville West Virginia didn’t want to defend their record of defending
want to defend their record of defending
want to defend their record of defending slavery anymore because they felt that
slavery anymore because they felt that
slavery anymore because they felt that black lives matter so history I want to
black lives matter so history I want to
black lives matter so history I want to convince you is at the absolute crux of
convince you is at the absolute crux of
convince you is at the absolute crux of current debates in our world and I want
current debates in our world and I want
current debates in our world and I want to do that by taking you through some
to do that by taking you through some
to do that by taking you through some historical events firstly history is
historical events firstly history is
historical events firstly history is about understanding situations and in
about understanding situations and in
about understanding situations and in order to do that we have to divest
order to do that we have to divest
order to do that we have to divest ourselves of our current preoccupations
ourselves of our current preoccupations
ourselves of our current preoccupations and our current understandings of the
and our current understandings of the
and our current understandings of the world it’s a bit like being a traveler
world it’s a bit like being a traveler
world it’s a bit like being a traveler and going into a foreign country and not
and going into a foreign country and not
and going into a foreign country and not knowing what the rules and regulations
knowing what the rules and regulations
knowing what the rules and regulations are so when I was a young person I did
are so when I was a young person I did
are so when I was a young person I did my historical research my first project
my historical research my first project
my historical research my first project in the mid-1970s on abortion this is an
in the mid-1970s on abortion this is an
in the mid-1970s on abortion this is an image from the 1950s my research was
image from the 1950s my research was
image from the 1950s my research was actually on the 1930s and I was a young
actually on the 1930s and I was a young
actually on the 1930s and I was a young person of the pill taking generation in
person of the pill taking generation in
person of the pill taking generation in 1976 and I thought how interesting it
1976 and I thought how interesting it
1976 and I thought how interesting it would be to find out why people were
would be to find out why people were
would be to find out why people were concerned about abortion in the 1930s
concerned about abortion in the 1930s
concerned about abortion in the 1930s and so I talked to women who had formed
and so I talked to women who had formed
and so I talked to women who had formed a group in the 1930s called the C
a group in the 1930s called the C
a group in the 1930s called the C hygiene and birth regulation society and
hygiene and birth regulation society and
hygiene and birth regulation society and when their group advertised in the paper
when their group advertised in the paper
when their group advertised in the paper the paper got it wrong and advertised
the paper got it wrong and advertised
the paper got it wrong and advertised them as the sex hygiene and girth
them as the sex hygiene and girth
them as the sex hygiene and girth regulation Society now I thought that I
regulation Society now I thought that I
regulation Society now I thought that I knew about abortion abortion was a
knew about abortion abortion was a
knew about abortion abortion was a surgical procedure but I found when I
surgical procedure but I found when I
surgical procedure but I found when I talked to these women they didn’t use
talked to these women they didn’t use
talked to these women they didn’t use that language and my language is
that language and my language is
that language and my language is inadequate and I had to divest myself of
inadequate and I had to divest myself of
inadequate and I had to divest myself of my current preoccupations so I learned
my current preoccupations so I learned
my current preoccupations so I learned to say to them how many children did you
to say to them how many children did you
to say to them how many children did you have and they’d say oh I had three or
have and they’d say oh I had three or
have and they’d say oh I had three or four and I would say well how did you
four and I would say well how did you
four and I would say well how did you manage that
manage that
manage that and they would say oh well I brought on
and they would say oh well I brought on
and they would say oh well I brought on my period so they had a very under
my period so they had a very under
my period so they had a very under different understanding of what abortion
different understanding of what abortion
different understanding of what abortion meant it meant those drugs they took or
meant it meant those drugs they took or
meant it meant those drugs they took or it meant there instrumental interference
it meant there instrumental interference
it meant there instrumental interference in pregnancy that they did but it wasn’t
in pregnancy that they did but it wasn’t
in pregnancy that they did but it wasn’t a surgical procedure which I had in my
a surgical procedure which I had in my
a surgical procedure which I had in my mind so what does this tell us about
mind so what does this tell us about
mind so what does this tell us about change and about the past it tells us
change and about the past it tells us
change and about the past it tells us that people will regulate their family
that people will regulate their family
that people will regulate their family size according to socio-economic
size according to socio-economic
size according to socio-economic circumstances the 1930s was a time of
circumstances the 1930s was a time of
circumstances the 1930s was a time of depression people couldn’t afford
depression people couldn’t afford
depression people couldn’t afford another child so even though they didn’t
another child so even though they didn’t
another child so even though they didn’t have the recourse to the highly
have the recourse to the highly
have the recourse to the highly effective contraception we might have
effective contraception we might have
effective contraception we might have today they made sure they limited their
today they made sure they limited their
today they made sure they limited their families so history is also about time
families so history is also about time
families so history is also about time and my second foray into historical
and my second foray into historical
and my second foray into historical research was into a very different time
research was into a very different time
research was into a very different time and into a different country I worked on
and into a different country I worked on
and into a different country I worked on the history of ideas in revolutionary
the history of ideas in revolutionary
the history of ideas in revolutionary France in the late 18th century and in
France in the late 18th century and in
France in the late 18th century and in that ferment of ideas where people were
that ferment of ideas where people were
that ferment of ideas where people were excitedly discussing liberty equality
excitedly discussing liberty equality
excitedly discussing liberty equality and fraternity wanting to overthrow
and fraternity wanting to overthrow
and fraternity wanting to overthrow monarchy and cremate create democracy
monarchy and cremate create democracy
monarchy and cremate create democracy I found the voice of a woman a woman
I found the voice of a woman a woman
I found the voice of a woman a woman called a lump to goo
called a lump to goo
called a lump to goo and she wrote that women should have the
and she wrote that women should have the
and she wrote that women should have the same rights of citizenship as men they
same rights of citizenship as men they
same rights of citizenship as men they should be able to vote they should be
should be able to vote they should be
should be able to vote they should be citizens they should have a role in the
citizens they should have a role in the
citizens they should have a role in the state and for those very radical ideas
state and for those very radical ideas
state and for those very radical ideas she lost her life by the guillotine in
she lost her life by the guillotine in
she lost her life by the guillotine in 1793 this is actually Marie Antoinette
1793 this is actually Marie Antoinette
1793 this is actually Marie Antoinette the Queen losing her head by the
the Queen losing her head by the
the Queen losing her head by the guillotine which was invented in the
guillotine which was invented in the
guillotine which was invented in the French Revolution so what did we learn
French Revolution so what did we learn
French Revolution so what did we learn from this we learn about the power of
from this we learn about the power of
from this we learn about the power of ideas her radical ideas led to her
ideas her radical ideas led to her
ideas her radical ideas led to her losing her head so why was it that this
losing her head so why was it that this
losing her head so why was it that this idea that women should have equality as
idea that women should have equality as
idea that women should have equality as political citizens was so dangerous it
political citizens was so dangerous it
political citizens was so dangerous it was such a dangerous idea that women in
was such a dangerous idea that women in
was such a dangerous idea that women in France in fact did not receive the right
France in fact did not receive the right
France in fact did not receive the right to vote until 1945 so that may cause us
to vote until 1945 so that may cause us
to vote until 1945 so that may cause us to reflect why was it that women in New
to reflect why was it that women in New
to reflect why was it that women in New Zealand got the right to vote in 1893
Zealand got the right to vote in 1893
Zealand got the right to vote in 1893 and why is it that women in Saudi Arabia
and why is it that women in Saudi Arabia
and why is it that women in Saudi Arabia only got the right to vote in 2011 and
only got the right to vote in 2011 and
only got the right to vote in 2011 and voted for the first time in 2015 my
voted for the first time in 2015 my
voted for the first time in 2015 my third point I want to make about the
third point I want to make about the
third point I want to make about the importance of understanding the past is
importance of understanding the past is
importance of understanding the past is in fact understanding this project took
in fact understanding this project took
in fact understanding this project took me into the history of mental health now
me into the history of mental health now
me into the history of mental health now we all have ideas I think about
we all have ideas I think about
we all have ideas I think about buildings like this
buildings like this
buildings like this this is the Seacliff Asylum built in the
this is the Seacliff Asylum built in the
this is the Seacliff Asylum built in the 1880s a large imposing building it was
1880s a large imposing building it was
1880s a large imposing building it was called the lunatic asylum and lunatic is
called the lunatic asylum and lunatic is
called the lunatic asylum and lunatic is a word we would no longer use we would
a word we would no longer use we would
a word we would no longer use we would no longer incarcerate people in
no longer incarcerate people in
no longer incarcerate people in buildings like this so my question was
buildings like this so my question was
buildings like this so my question was who went into this building in the 1880s
who went into this building in the 1880s
who went into this building in the 1880s the 1890s and the 1910
the 1890s and the 1910
the 1890s and the 1910 and the answer to my question was that
and the answer to my question was that
and the answer to my question was that they were people in great distress and
they were people in great distress and
they were people in great distress and they were taken to this building by
they were taken to this building by
they were taken to this building by their loved ones by husbands by wives by
their loved ones by husbands by wives by
their loved ones by husbands by wives by children because they hoped that they
children because they hoped that they
children because they hoped that they would receive some treatment in the
would receive some treatment in the
would receive some treatment in the latest facility designed to deal with
latest facility designed to deal with
latest facility designed to deal with sufferers from mental health there were
sufferers from mental health there were
sufferers from mental health there were even some people who wrote to the
even some people who wrote to the
even some people who wrote to the medical superintendent asking to be
medical superintendent asking to be
medical superintendent asking to be taken in a young woman wrote from
taken in a young woman wrote from
taken in a young woman wrote from Southland she was pregnant outside of
Southland she was pregnant outside of
Southland she was pregnant outside of wedlock she said never had a girl been
wedlock she said never had a girl been
wedlock she said never had a girl been treated so bad by her community and that
treated so bad by her community and that
treated so bad by her community and that she wanted Frederick Truby King to take
she wanted Frederick Truby King to take
she wanted Frederick Truby King to take her into the asylum so she could raise
her into the asylum so she could raise
her into the asylum so she could raise her child because she knew that he was
her child because she knew that he was
her child because she knew that he was the savior of mothers and babies so what
the savior of mothers and babies so what
the savior of mothers and babies so what did I learn from this project I learned
did I learn from this project I learned
did I learn from this project I learned that the medical superintendent spent
that the medical superintendent spent
that the medical superintendent spent most of his days writing letters letters
most of his days writing letters letters
most of his days writing letters letters to ask that the sewer pipes which were
to ask that the sewer pipes which were
to ask that the sewer pipes which were broken under the building be repaired
broken under the building be repaired
broken under the building be repaired litters requesting more than three baths
litters requesting more than three baths
litters requesting more than three baths for hundreds of patients and litters
for hundreds of patients and litters
for hundreds of patients and litters requesting that there be some form of
requesting that there be some form of
requesting that there be some form of amusement for these patients so it was
amusement for these patients so it was
amusement for these patients so it was not the medical superintendent who
not the medical superintendent who
not the medical superintendent who created a grim and tragic asylum but it
created a grim and tragic asylum but it
created a grim and tragic asylum but it was the government who didn’t want to
was the government who didn’t want to
was the government who didn’t want to provide resources and it was taxpayers
provide resources and it was taxpayers
provide resources and it was taxpayers like you and me who didn’t want to
like you and me who didn’t want to
like you and me who didn’t want to contribute those resources and who
contribute those resources and who
contribute those resources and who wanted to put mental health out on the
wanted to put mental health out on the
wanted to put mental health out on the fringes of our society who failed those
fringes of our society who failed those
fringes of our society who failed those who were mentally ill history is also
who were mentally ill history is also
who were mentally ill history is also about the future so I want to think
about the future so I want to think
about the future so I want to think about that unless we know the past we
about that unless we know the past we
about that unless we know the past we cannot know the future so if we think
cannot know the future so if we think
cannot know the future so if we think about abortion for example we might feel
about abortion for example we might feel
about abortion for example we might feel very pleased that women no longer have
very pleased that women no longer have
very pleased that women no longer have to resort to drugs
to resort to drugs
to resort to drugs – knitting needles and one instance a
– knitting needles and one instance a
– knitting needles and one instance a meat hook to restore their periods that
meat hook to restore their periods that
meat hook to restore their periods that they now might have access to surgical
they now might have access to surgical
they now might have access to surgical abortion on the other hand we can also
abortion on the other hand we can also
abortion on the other hand we can also see that the tragedy of their situation
see that the tragedy of their situation
see that the tragedy of their situation in the 1930s led them to organize they
in the 1930s led them to organize they
in the 1930s led them to organize they develop the sex hygiene and birth
develop the sex hygiene and birth
develop the sex hygiene and birth regulation Society which became the
regulation Society which became the
regulation Society which became the forerunner of family planning in New
forerunner of family planning in New
forerunner of family planning in New Zealand they also developed the abortion
Zealand they also developed the abortion
Zealand they also developed the abortion law reform Association to agitate for
law reform Association to agitate for
law reform Association to agitate for social change if we think about the
social change if we think about the
social change if we think about the French Revolution we think about the
French Revolution we think about the
French Revolution we think about the importance of ideas and we think about
importance of ideas and we think about
importance of ideas and we think about ideas that we might want to fight for we
ideas that we might want to fight for we
ideas that we might want to fight for we may now have the vote we may have some
may now have the vote we may have some
may now have the vote we may have some form of equality but we also have other
form of equality but we also have other
form of equality but we also have other problems in the world such as global
problems in the world such as global
problems in the world such as global warming that we may want to make our
warming that we may want to make our
warming that we may want to make our voices heard so the history of ideas
voices heard so the history of ideas
voices heard so the history of ideas teaches us that people can create social
teaches us that people can create social
teaches us that people can create social change and we can create a new future if
change and we can create a new future if
change and we can create a new future if we think about mental illness we could
we think about mental illness we could
we think about mental illness we could think and ponder on the word asylum
think and ponder on the word asylum
think and ponder on the word asylum asylum meant a refuge a place of respite
asylum meant a refuge a place of respite
asylum meant a refuge a place of respite and we might think that we might like to
and we might think that we might like to
and we might think that we might like to provide a refuge and a place of respite
provide a refuge and a place of respite
provide a refuge and a place of respite for people who are in great distress it
for people who are in great distress it
for people who are in great distress it might suggest to us another mode of
might suggest to us another mode of
might suggest to us another mode of treatment from the Train chains of drugs
treatment from the Train chains of drugs
treatment from the Train chains of drugs which we now use to incarcerate the
which we now use to incarcerate the
which we now use to incarcerate the mentally ill so history I think helps us
mentally ill so history I think helps us
mentally ill so history I think helps us see new futures and history is also full
see new futures and history is also full
see new futures and history is also full of surprises it’s easy to forget for
of surprises it’s easy to forget for
of surprises it’s easy to forget for example that before 1986 homosexuality
example that before 1986 homosexuality
example that before 1986 homosexuality was illegal what kind of society were we
was illegal what kind of society were we
was illegal what kind of society were we in then before 1977 there was separate
in then before 1977 there was separate
in then before 1977 there was separate advertisements and newspapers so if
advertisements and newspapers so if
advertisements and newspapers so if you’re a man
you’re a man
you’re a man there was the mail wanted column if
there was the mail wanted column if
there was the mail wanted column if you’re a woman there was the female
you’re a woman there was the female
you’re a woman there was the female wanted column what distinguished them
wanted column what distinguished them
wanted column what distinguished them wages and the types of occupations in
wages and the types of occupations in
wages and the types of occupations in nineteen in the 1950s when New Zealand
nineteen in the 1950s when New Zealand
nineteen in the 1950s when New Zealand had a buoyant economy it was said that
had a buoyant economy it was said that
had a buoyant economy it was said that the Minister of Labour knew the names of
the Minister of Labour knew the names of
the Minister of Labour knew the names of the five unemployed people in the
the five unemployed people in the
the five unemployed people in the country so knowing our history suggests
country so knowing our history suggests
country so knowing our history suggests to us that things were once very
to us that things were once very
to us that things were once very different and it opens us opens our
different and it opens us opens our
different and it opens us opens our imaginations to think how the future
imaginations to think how the future
imaginations to think how the future could be very different and that’s why I
could be very different and that’s why I
could be very different and that’s why I think knowing your history makes a
think knowing your history makes a
think knowing your history makes a difference thank you
difference thank you
difference thank you [Applause]
”
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