Well, you might say it's controversial. I was initially quite excited to learn that the Royal Mail is launching a series of women-celebrating stamps, honoring a suffragist, the first female British doctor, a family planning pioneer, social campaigner, civil rights activist and politician. And to some extent I still am, it's always good to get the word out there and see important and massively under-acknowledged women being broadcast extensively. But questions have been raised about the inclusion of Marie Stopes.
Stopes earned her place here by opening Britain's first family planning clinic in 1921 and will feature on the new 50p stamp. A sexual health charity named after her runs in 40 countries and has had a transformative affect on the lives of many women.
However, she also supported eugenics, the 'scientifically' endorsed sterilisation of the weak that aimed to 'perfecting' the human race. She was a supporter of Hitler, and prescribed sterilisation for those "unfit for parenthood", even promoting it in her book 'Radiant Motherhood'.
While some have decided to boycott the stamps, others remember the good work she did and the need to sometimes post things with a value of 50p. What do you make of it all?
