Betsey was an enslaved young woman from Montgomery, Alabama, who became one of the subjects of experimental gynecological surgery performed by physician J. Marion Sims in the mid-19th century. After giving birth at age 18, she developed a vesicovaginal fistula and suffered from urinary incontinence. She was treated alongside two other enslaved women, Anarcha and Lucy, over the course of four years. The procedures performed on these women happened many times without the use of anesthesia, causing them to experience great pain. While these women are recognized for their contributions to modern gynecology, they did not consent to any of the procedures performed on them. However, due to the time period this took place, they could not refuse this treatment. These three women underwent tremendous pain for experimental procedures while today the physician who completed them is celebrated for his contributions to gynecology. Artists in Alabama are seeking to bring more recognition to these three women, unveiling a monument in honor of the "mothers of modern gynecology."
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