Healthy aspirations? Crypto-eugenics and the aim to create healthy families in Australia, 1946–1970s

Abstract

This paper explores the incorporation of eugenic objectives within family focused and psychologically based public health initiatives throughout the 1940s–1970s. By focusing on three of Australia’s enduring public health initiatives – family planning, marriage guidance and sex education – I consider how post-war eugenic rhetoric in Australia was initially dominated by educational services which centred on creating a conducive environment for eugenically aligned reproductive choices within the nuclear family structure. The fact the term ‘eugenics’ was increasingly omitted from what remained eugenically aligned public health activities will also be considered.

Keywords:

• Crypto-eugenic
• eugenics
• nuclear family
• Australia