The process of making something free from bacteria or other microorganisms, or the procedure to prevent reproduction.
From Latin 'sterilis' (barren/unfruitful) plus '-ization.' The medical meaning developed in the 19th century with germ theory advancement.
Louis Pasteur's work on sterilization revolutionized medicine and food safety, leading to the 'Pasteurization' process we still use today.
Forced sterilization programs disproportionately targeted marginalized women (racial minorities, disabled, poor); medical discourse erased coercion; euphemistic framing obscured human rights violations.
Specify voluntary vs. forced context; name affected populations; avoid passive voice that obscures agency/perpetrators; acknowledge coercion history.
["voluntary sterilization","forced/coerced sterilization (when applicable)"]
Survivors of forced sterilization—primarily women of color, Indigenous women, disabled women—fought for decades for acknowledgment and legal remedy; their testimony reclaimed agency and dignity.
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