The Surprising Story of Griswold v. Connecticut: A Landmark for Privacy in the Bedroom

In 1965, Estelle Griswold's Planned Parenthood clinic was convicted for providing contraceptives to married couples. Yes, you heard right, married couples!

Griswold v. Connecticut (1965) was the game-changer. A landmark case where Griswold's Planned Parenthood clinic was convicted for providing contraceptives to married couples. Yes, you heard right, married couples!

The Comstock laws, enacted since 1873, made it illegal to use any contraceptive device or even share information about them. It may be hard to imagine a world where discussing contraceptives was a crime, but that was the reality.

What led to this situation? Anthony Comstock, a zealous moralist and reformer. His influence swayed Congress into passing the Comstock laws. His vision? A moral society free from 'obscene' contraceptives.

Griswold ran her clinic in Connecticut, one of the few states strictly enforcing Comstock laws. She knew the risks but believed in her cause. She was determined to challenge these outdated laws.

When Griswold was arrested and fined $100, she appealed to the Supreme Court. Her argument? The law violated the right to marital privacy. This was a bold move as there was no explicit right to privacy in the constitution.

The case went under intense scrutiny. The court echoed with arguments about individual autonomy, marital sanctity, and government overreach. Meanwhile, Griswold waited with bated breath.

On June 7, 1965, the court ruled 7-2 in Griswold's favor. The ruling stated that the law violated the 'right to marital privacy'. This was an inferred right derived from 'penumbras' of other explicit rights in the Bill of Rights.

This victory didn't just lift the ban on contraceptives, it set a precedent. It laid the groundwork for later cases like Roe v. Wade, which recognized a woman's right to choose an abortion. A landmark ruling by any measure.