Legal Definitions - contraceptivism

Definition: Contraceptivism is the act of distributing or prescribing contraceptives, which was considered a criminal offense in the past.

Example: In the early 20th century, many countries had laws that made it illegal to distribute or prescribe contraceptives. For example, in the United States, the Comstock Law of 1873 made it a federal offense to send any "obscene, lewd, or lascivious" materials through the mail, including contraceptives. This law was used to prosecute people who distributed or prescribed contraceptives, which was known as contraceptivism.

Explanation: The example illustrates how contraceptivism was a criminal offense in the past, and how laws were used to prevent people from distributing or prescribing contraceptives. The Comstock Law was one such law that was used to prosecute people who engaged in contraceptivism. This example shows how attitudes towards contraception have changed over time, and how laws have been used to regulate access to contraceptives.