You've seen it on cardboard signs. It’s plastered across t-shirts and shouted at rallies from D.C. to London. It is probably one of the most recognizable political phrases in the English language. But where did my body my choice come from exactly? If you think it just popped up during the 1970s feminist movement, you're partly right, but the actual journey of those four words is a lot messier and more interesting than a simple timeline suggests.
History isn't a straight line. It's more of a tangled web of court cases, grassroots activism, and shifting cultural vibes.
The Feminist Explosion of the 1960s and 70s
The phrase as we know it today really took root during the "Second Wave" of feminism. Back then, women were fighting for everything from workplace equality to the right to open a bank account without a husband’s permission. But at the heart of it all was bodily autonomy.
In the late 1960s, underground groups like the Jane Collective in Chicago were already operating on the principle that a person should have the final say over their own physical self. They didn't necessarily have the glossy branding yet. They just had the conviction.
By the time Roe v. Wade hit the Supreme Court in 1973, the sentiment was everywhere. Activists needed a shorthand. Something punchy. "Control over our reproductive lives" is a mouthful. "My body, my choice" is a battle cry. It’s short. It's direct. It's incredibly hard to argue with from an individualist perspective.
It wasn't just about abortion, though. That’s a common misconception. The movement was also pushing back against forced sterilizations, which were tragically common for women of color and those in poverty during the 20th century. So, "my choice" also meant the choice to have children without state interference.
Where Did My Body My Choice Come From Before the Slogan?
The idea is way older than the 1970s. We’re talking centuries.
Take the concept of "Habeas Corpus." It’s an old legal tenet basically saying the state can’t just grab your physical body and throw it in a cell without cause. Or look at Enlightenment thinkers like John Locke. He wrote about "property in one's own person." He argued that every individual owns themselves. You own your limbs, your thoughts, and your labor.
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If you own your body, you should logically have the right to decide what happens to it.
Fast forward to the early 20th century. Margaret Sanger, the founder of what would become Planned Parenthood, was using similar rhetoric. She spoke about "voluntary motherhood." She believed that no woman could call herself free who did not own and control her body. She didn't use the exact four-word slogan, but the DNA of the phrase was clearly there in her pamphlets and speeches.
The Semantic Shift and Modern Usage
Words change. Context changes everything.
In the last few years, we've seen this phrase migrate to places nobody in 1972 would have predicted. During the COVID-19 pandemic, anti-vaccination protesters began using "my body, my choice" to argue against vaccine mandates.
This created a massive cultural friction point.
On one hand, the logic is consistent: "I decide what goes into my veins." On the other hand, the original architects of the phrase argued that reproductive rights are about individual liberty within a private medical context, whereas vaccines involve public health and the "harm principle"—the idea that your freedom ends where my safety begins.
Regardless of where you stand on that, it proves how powerful the slogan is. It has become a linguistic Swiss Army knife. It’s used by tattoo enthusiasts, people advocating for the right to die (euthanasia), and even those pushing for the legalization of certain drugs.
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Why This Phrase Sticks
Why does it work? Why didn't some other slogan take its place?
It's the "My."
The focus on the individual is deeply rooted in Western culture. We love the idea of the sovereign self. When you say "my body," you are drawing a line in the sand. You are telling the government, the church, and your neighbor that there is a boundary they cannot cross.
It’s also incredibly simple to remember.
Marketing experts will tell you that the best slogans follow a specific rhythm. This one is balanced. Two syllables, two syllables. It’s punchy. It’s also "universal" in its vagueness, which allows different groups to project their own values onto it.
Key Milestones in the Slogan’s History
- The 1910s: Margaret Sanger promotes "Birth Control" and "Voluntary Motherhood."
- The 1960s: The "Our Bodies, Ourselves" collective begins publishing health information, emphasizing that women should be experts on their own anatomy.
- 1973: Roe v. Wade becomes the catalyst for the slogan to enter the mainstream media lexicon.
- The 1990s: The phrase becomes a staple in pop culture, appearing in music (like Salt-N-Pepa’s "None of Your Business") and television.
- 2020-2022: The slogan experiences a "re-use" phase, appearing in protests against mask and vaccine mandates, and then surging back into its original context after the Dobbs decision overturned Roe.
Nuances and Critiques
Not everyone loves the slogan. Even within activist circles, there’s debate.
Some "Reproductive Justice" advocates, a term coined by Black women in 1994 (specifically the Women of African Traditions Everywoman’s Hope group), argue that "choice" is too narrow. They point out that "choice" implies you have the resources to make a decision. If you can’t afford a doctor, or if you don't have childcare, do you really have a choice?
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They prefer the term "Bodily Autonomy" or "Reproductive Justice" because it accounts for the systemic barriers like poverty and racism. "My body, my choice" can sometimes sound a bit too individualistic, ignoring the fact that we live in a society where our choices are often limited by our bank accounts.
Then you have the legal side. In the U.S., the Constitution doesn't actually say the words "my body my choice." The legal framework for these rights used to sit on the "Right to Privacy," which the current Supreme Court has largely dismantled in the context of abortion. This shows the gap between a political slogan and a legal reality. A slogan can be morally powerful but legally fragile.
The Global Perspective
It isn't just an American thing.
In Ireland, during the "Repeal the 8th" campaign in 2018, the phrase was everywhere. In Latin America, the "Marea Verde" (Green Wave) movement used similar themes, though often translated or adapted to fit the specific linguistic nuances of Spanish-speaking activists.
It’s a global "meme" in the original sense of the word—an idea that spreads and evolves as it moves through different cultures.
Actionable Takeaways for Understanding the Debate
If you’re trying to navigate the conversations around this topic, it helps to look past the hashtag. Here is how to actually engage with the history and the current state of bodily autonomy:
- Read the Source Material: Don't just take a tweet's word for it. Look up the Boston Women's Health Book Collective. Read their early work from the 1970s. It provides the medical and social context that birthed the slogan.
- Distinguish Between Law and Ethics: Understand that "right" can mean a moral right or a legal right. "My body, my choice" is a moral claim. Whether it is a legal reality depends entirely on where you live and what year it is.
- Look Into Reproductive Justice: Research SisterSong and the work of Loretta Ross. They offer a more complex view of the slogan by adding layers of social and economic reality to the "choice" conversation.
- Monitor Legal Precedents: Keep an eye on how courts handle medical "informed consent." This is the legal cousin of the slogan. It’s the idea that a doctor can’t touch you or treat you without your explicit permission.
The question of where did my body my choice come from leads back to a fundamental human desire: the desire to be the boss of yourself. It started as a radical demand for basic health rights, turned into a global political brand, and now serves as a flashpoint for almost every major debate about the role of the state in our private lives. It’s more than a slogan; it’s a reflection of how we define freedom in the modern world.
To truly understand the impact, look at how the phrase is being used in your local community today. Whether it's in a doctor's office or at a protest, the core tension between individual liberty and collective rules remains the most important story of our time.