Introduction

In this curation, I aim to explore the development of how women’s agency has been portrayed in two documentary films, La Operacion and No Más Bebés, and in Laura Briggs’ book, Reproducing Empire. This discussion of agency is rooted in the forced sterilizations of Latin women by the U.S. government in Puerto Rico and at the USC Medical Center in Los Angeles throughout the twentieth century. Our discussion of Latina agency, especially over reproductive rights, has evolved from victimization in La Operacion to a broader discussion of reproductive rights and adequate representation with Briggs to actually showing the perspectives and voices of Latinas on camera beyond as victims in No Más Bebés. I hope to show this evolution of how Latina agency and reproductive rights are talked about and shown through an assortment of images, videos, tweets, commentary, and more.