Aletta Jacobs
| Aletta Jacobs | |
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Aletta Jacobs
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| Born | Aletta Henriëtte Jacobs 9 February 1854 Sappemeer, Netherlands |
| Died | 10 August 1929 (aged 75) Baarn, Netherlands |
| Nationality | Dutch |
| Fields | Medicine |
| Known for | First Dutch female to complete a university degree (medical doctor) |
| Influenced | Feminism and birth control in the Netherlands |
Aletta Henriëtte Jacobs (Dutch pronunciation: [aːˈlɛtaː ɦɑ̃ːriˈɛtə ˈjaːkɔps]; 9 February 1854 – 10 August 1929) was a Dutch physician and women's suffrage activist. Born into a Jewish family in the small village of Sappemeer in the Netherlands, she had many accomplishments in different fields such as women's suffrage, medicine, and lower class aid. Aside from all the accomplishments she made throughout her life, she was also the first woman to attend a Dutch University officially and the first female physician in the Netherlands.
Aletta was born on February 9, 1854 to Abraham Jacobs and Anna de Jongh, the eighth of an eventual twelve children. Her father was a country doctor from whom she developed an interest to follow the field of medicine. As a child, she would go on many doctor visits with him and seeing all the help he brought to his patients made her pursue the aim of becoming a physician.
Even though she dreamed of being a doctor like her father, access to education for women in 19th century Netherlands was a big struggle. Jacobs was able to finish primary school in 1867, but at the time no girl in Sappemeer was allowed to enter high school. This did not stop Jacobs from learning, and in 1870 she passed the exam for assistant chemist. Thus, she gained recognition and eventually, on April 28, 1871, she was given permission to attend the University of Groningen by minister of education J.R. Thorbecke. On March 8, 1879 Jacobs graduated from the university as the first female physician in the Netherlands.
After graduating, Jacobs moved to London. There she started meeting many feminists as well as birth control and suffrage activists. In London she was greatly influenced by new ideas, one being the need for women to have contraceptives available to prevent unwanted pregnancy. Afterwards, she moved to Amsterdam where she set up her own practice clinic for the lower class who could not afford other physicians. Many women also began asking her for some form of contraception. She began thinking of solutions to this problem and helped W.P.J. Mensinga improve the diaphragm, and make it useable. However, most people accredit the invention of the diaphragm solely to W.P.J. Mensinga. Although Mensinga made the original diaphragm, Jacobs contacted him and made great contributions and changes to the design of the device to perfect it.
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