Draft:Barbara Santee

• Comment: This article appears to be written by an AI; please write it in your own words. CoconutOctopus talk 23:25, 7 November 2024 (UTC)

• Comment: The only references here are an affiliated primary source and her own WordPress blog, neither of which are support for notability. We need to see third-party coverage and analysis about her and her work in reliable sources, meaning media and/or books. Bearcat (talk) 21:41, 7 November 2024 (UTC)

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Barbara Santee (b. [Date of Birth], 1937 – d. November 7, 2018) was an American activist, writer, and advocate for women's reproductive rights, whose work spanned over four decades. Known for her passionate commitment to reproductive justice, Santee was a leading figure in the fight for women's rights, including abortion access, family planning, HIV/AIDS awareness, and LGBTQ+ equality. Her advocacy extended internationally, and her personal story of overcoming adversity became a powerful tool for social change.

Early Life and Education

Barbara Ann Santee was born and raised in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She grew up in poverty, facing a difficult childhood marked by family neglect, abuse, and personal hardship. Her father abandoned the family when she was just a year old, and Santee became a caretaker for her brother and alcoholic mother. A formative and traumatic experience in her youth was an unwanted pregnancy at age 18, which led her to undergo an illegal, dangerous abortion that nearly cost her life. The experience of being publicly shamed for the abortion became a catalyst for her later work advocating for reproductive rights.

Santee attended the University of Tulsa (TU), where she earned her bachelor's (1969) and master's (1971) degrees in sociology. She later pursued further education, earning a second master's degree in public health and family planning from the University of Michigan's Center for Population Planning.

Advocacy and International Work

Santee's early career in advocacy began after she graduated from the University of Tulsa. In the early 1970s, she was offered an internship with the United Nations, where she worked at the UN's Latin American headquarters in Santiago, Chile. There, she conducted population research and advanced reproductive rights advocacy in Latin America.

In 1973, after the landmark Roe v. Wade decision legalized abortion in the United States, Santee moved to New York City to pursue doctoral studies in socio-medical sciences at Columbia University. She later became the Director of Evaluation for the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) in the Western Hemisphere. Her work took her across Latin America and the Caribbean, where she conducted research on family planning and worked closely with women to improve reproductive health.

Writing and Public Advocacy

Santee was an outspoken advocate for women's reproductive rights. She became one of the first public figures to openly discuss the personal experience of having an abortion before its legalization. This boldness helped pave the way for more open discussions about abortion, a topic still taboo in many communities.

In 1984, Santee wrote Trespasses, the first American play to address incest as a serious social issue. The play was groundbreaking in its candid portrayal of abuse and helped normalize conversations about the trauma many women face in silence. She continued her work as a writer with plays like Voices, as well as numerous short stories and poetry that explored social justice themes.

Return to Tulsa and Continued Advocacy

In 1989, Santee returned to Tulsa, where she immediately became involved in local reproductive health advocacy. She served as the associate director of the Center for Health Policy Research at the University of Tulsa and played a foundational role in several important organizations, including the Oklahoma Progressive Alliance, Tulsa Reproductive Health Coalition, and the Tulsa AIDS Coalition. She was instrumental in campaigns for reproductive rights in Oklahoma, including the state's efforts to preserve legal abortion access and prevent further restrictions on women's healthcare.

Legacy and Death

Barbara Santee died on November 7, 2018, after a life marked by relentless advocacy for women's health and rights. In her passing, she donated her comprehensive collection of writings, research, and personal papers to the University of Tulsa's Women's and Gender Studies Program, where they continue to serve as a vital resource for students and faculty. Santee's work had a lasting impact on reproductive justice, and her personal story inspired generations of activists to fight for women's rights.

Personal Collection and Symbolism

Santee was known for her unique collection of spoons, which she gathered during her travels around the world. For Santee, the spoon symbolized the universal experience of women, from feeding children to caring for the sick. She believed that the simple act of using a spoon transcended cultural boundaries and represented the shared experience of women across the globe. Her spoon collection and other personal artifacts were included in her donation to TU.

See Also

• NARAL Pro-Choice America
• Planned Parenthood
• Reproductive Rights