Sexualidad y anticoncepción en la periferia española durante la transición democrática: los Centros Asesores de la Mujer y la Familia en la Región de Murcia (1980-1982)

During the last years of Francoism and Spain’s transition to democracy, a social movement emerged to promote the legalization and mainstreaming of contraceptive methods (prohibited in Spain since 1941). One of the key features of this process was the interaction of social, political, scientific, and healthcare interests pursued by participants in the afore mentioned movement, which included feminists, human rights and pro-democracy activists, and medical professionals. Another feature was the creation of family planning centers characterized by a wide regional diversity in their origin, development, and consolidation. This study analyzes the ways in which family planning centers in Murcia, a region where the Catholic Church has played a central role in society, contributed to the expansion of the health rights of women, their knowledge of their own bodies, and their sexuality. This paper focuses on the Advice Centers for Women and Families created by the Regional Council of Murcia in 1980, which were active until 1982. The existence of an organized feminist movement that was independent from political parties played an important role in the practices of these centers, which went far beyond offering contraceptive methods to working-class women. The close connection between feminist organizations and the Advice Centers allowed for the transfer of specific knowledge and practices linked to the women’s health movement, which were in turn disseminated amongst working-class women.