Podcast Summary: "Las Borinqueñas" Tells the True Story of Unethical Contraceptive Testing in Puerto Rico

Podcast: All Of It (WNYC)
Host: Kusha Navadar (in for Alison Stewart)
Guests: Nelson Diaz Marcano (playwright) & Rebecca Aparicio (director)
Date: April 18, 2024

Episode Overview

This episode presents an in-depth conversation about "Las Borinqueñas," a new play dramatizing the little-known history of large-scale, unethical birth control pill trials on Puerto Rican women in the 1950s. The discussion explores the play's historical context, its characters inspired by real and personal stories, the challenging truths about medical ethics and eugenics, and the production’s cultural authenticity. Joining guest host Kusha Navadar are playwright Nelson Diaz Marcano and director Rebecca Aparicio.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Historical Context of the Play

[00:07 - 04:44]

• "Las Borinqueñas" is set in 1950s Puerto Rico, when American researchers ran clinical trials for the first birth control pill ("the pink pill") on poor Puerto Rican women, often without fully informing them.

• Women were driven to participate due to overpopulation, lack of alternative contraceptives, pressure for sterilization, and the presentation of the pill as a modern miracle.

• "They were guinea pigs for these doctors that couldn’t do these trials in the United States because they were not only frowned upon, they were illegal to do so." — Nelson [02:57]

• Birth control research was stigmatized and restricted in the US by both government and church, pushing scientists to the colonies for experimentation.

• Coordinating researcher Dr. Gregory Pincus was marginalized in the US scientific community for these experiments.

Why the Play Resonated with Its Creators

[04:56 - 05:55]

• Rebecca Aparicio learned about the pill trials through Nelson's script and was "shocked" by America's history of oppression in Puerto Rico. She was particularly drawn to the play's balance of humor and resilience amidst real trauma.
• "Being Cuban American, without their informed consent... was something I was really passionate about helping bring to life on stage." — Rebecca [05:17]

Crafting Characters: Personal and Historical Inspirations

[06:38 - 08:40]

• Nelson based the five main women—Maria, Fernanda, Yolanda, Rosa, Chavela—on women in his own life, such as his mother and her friends.
• The play seeks to portray both the cataclysmic event and the day-to-day resilience: "I wanted to create something that... is just a celebration of the spirit that keeps Puerto Rican identity alive, which is these women, our mothers." — Nelson [08:26]
• The characters’ dynamic mirrors real-life sisterhood, with comedy, camaraderie, and support in the face of trauma.

Staging Sisterhood and Survivorship

[08:53 - 10:00]

• The company worked hard to build authentic sisterhood on stage, reflecting the way women support each other through hardship.
• "Even when they’re saying really harsh things to each other... it’s said with love and with humor. At the end of the day, we have each other’s backs." — Rebecca [09:04]
• The play addresses harsh realities such as sterilization without consent and the ongoing struggle for bodily autonomy, while foregrounding the characters’ trust and solidarity.

The Play’s Scientific and Historical Antagonists

[10:00 - 12:26]

• The secondary cast includes two scientists—Gregory Pincus and Idris Rice Ray—based on real-life correspondence, though dramatized for narrative effect.
• The play addresses the complex legacy of Margaret Sanger, founder of Planned Parenthood, whose funding and eugenicist ideology created tensions:
• "We really needed to wrestle at the fact she was a eugenicist... her views on population control were to keep folks from having... more children." — Rebecca [12:09]

Place and Diaspora: Puerto Rico and New York

[13:16 - 15:10]

• The play opens in New York City, acknowledging the mid-century wave of Puerto Rican migration. Two sisters, Rosa and Chavela, return to Puerto Rico after disillusionment with the American Dream.
• The narrative reflects the era’s conflicting promises: "Puerto Ricans in general just want to be Puerto Rican. We love our island. We're obsessed with our island... the American Dream was sold to us in a time of extreme poverty." — Nelson [15:13]
• The realities of racism and economic struggle in the US sharply contrast with the dream sold to Puerto Rican migrants, paralleling the deceptive promises of the pill trial.

Bringing the 1950s to Life: Sound, Sight, and Speech

[17:33 - 19:47]

• Dialect coach Rosie worked with the diverse cast to evoke authentic Puerto Rican Spanish rhythms and accent, ensuring consistency and cultural fidelity.
• "All of the women... could all match rhythm and cadence, because that’s so much a part of the way Nelson writes... It was also important for everyone to have the correct Spanish dialect." — Rebecca [18:18]
• Details like radio, television, and period commercials establish the era's media-based vision of ideal womanhood and the socioeconomic politics driving the story.

Language, Bilingualism, and Cultural Invitation

[21:09 - 24:50]

• The script is bilingual, shifting fluidly between Spanish and English to reflect real Puerto Rican speech and humor.
• Nelson emphasized maintaining authenticity: "To keep it honest for me, to keep this celebration of women, to show what Puerto Ricans are and how they speak, a lot of it is about the things they say." — Nelson [21:51]
• Bilingual dialogue and Puerto Rican colloquialisms invite the audience into the culture, letting them feel the intimacy and joy of the community.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

"They were guinea pigs for these doctors that couldn’t do these trials in the United States because they were not only frowned upon, they were illegal to do so."
— Nelson Diaz Marcano [02:57]

"Being Cuban American, without their informed consent... was something I was really passionate about helping bring to life on stage."
— Rebecca Aparicio [05:17]

"I wanted to create something that... is just a celebration of the spirit that keeps Puerto Rican identity alive, which is these women, our mothers."
— Nelson Diaz Marcano [08:26]

"Even when they're saying really harsh things to each other... it's said with love and with humor... at the end of the day, we have each other's backs."
— Rebecca Aparicio [09:04]

"We really needed to wrestle at the fact she [Margaret Sanger] was a eugenicist... her views on population control were to keep folks from having... more children."
— Rebecca Aparicio [12:09]

"Puerto Ricans in general just want to be Puerto Rican. We love our island. We're obsessed with our island... the American Dream was sold to us in a time of extreme poverty."
— Nelson Diaz Marcano [15:13]

"To keep it honest for me... a lot of it is about the things they say. You know, I grew up in the country I grew up... the musicality of it all. There's joy in it."
— Nelson Diaz Marcano [21:51]

Importance of "Las Borinqueñas" and Its Cultural Impact

Las Borinqueñas exposes a rarely acknowledged chapter of American and Puerto Rican history, sparking dialogue about body autonomy, ethical research, and colonialism. Through its ensemble of vivid female characters, lived-in language, and historical truth-telling—tempered by humor and affection—the play becomes both a corrective and a celebration. As conversations around reproductive rights and medical ethics continue in 2024, this story resonates powerfully with current audiences.

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:07 – Introduction & premise of "Las Borinqueñas"
• 02:04 – Why women in Puerto Rico participated; conditions and deception
• 03:16 – Legal barriers to contraceptive research in the U.S.
• 04:56 – Why director Rebecca Aparicio took on the play; resonance as a Cuban American
• 06:38 – Inspiration for the five main characters; real-life figures and family
• 08:54 – Sisterhood dynamics on stage
• 10:00 – Depiction of the scientists and dramatization versus research
• 11:57 – The role of Margaret Sanger, her eugenicist legacy, and tensions
• 13:58 – Incorporating New York and Puerto Rican migration in the story
• 15:10 – Nelson’s take on the "American Dream" for Puerto Ricans in the ‘50s
• 17:33 – Dialect coaching and language authenticity
• 19:47 – Evoking the ‘50s visually and through media on stage
• 21:09 – Writing bilingual, bicultural dialogue
• 24:50 – Conclusion and thanks

This rich, layered episode offers insight, historical context, and inspiration, making the story of "Las Borinqueñas" compelling not only for theater lovers, but for anyone concerned with justice, history, and the vibrance of Puerto Rican culture.