“In every society, there are two critical lists: acceptable conditions for having a baby, and acceptable conditions for having sex. . . . It was only with the widespread acceptance of contraception in the middle of the 20th century, creating an upheaval in the public psyche in which sex and babies no longer went hand-in-hand, that the two lists began to diverge.”
— Jennifer Fulwiler
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And I’d say as a result one has been following the other, despite the disconnect. Witness the increasing acceptance (even exaltation) of out-of-wedlock pregnancies. Even as far back as 20 years ago – Dan Quayle and “Murphy Brown” anyone?
Biology and social norms are intrinsically linked. It takes a herculean effort to pull biology in the direction of a social norm, and an equal effort to keep it there. We’ve decided, out of necessity, to no longer stigmatize illegitimacy. Because we thought we could disconnect sex and procreation with contraception and abortion.
And I’d say as a result one has been following the other, despite the disconnect. Witness the increasing acceptance (even exaltation) of out-of-wedlock pregnancies. Even as far back as 20 years ago – Dan Quayle and “Murphy Brown” anyone?
Biology and social norms are intrinsically linked. It takes a herculean effort to pull biology in the direction of a social norm, and an equal effort to keep it there. We’ve decided, out of necessity, to no longer stigmatize illegitimacy. Because we thought we could disconnect sex and procreation with contraception and abortion.
And I’d say as a result one has been following the other, despite the disconnect. Witness the increasing acceptance (even exaltation) of out-of-wedlock pregnancies. Even as far back as 20 years ago – Dan Quayle and “Murphy Brown” anyone?
Biology and social norms are intrinsically linked. It takes a herculean effort to pull biology in the direction of a social norm, and an equal effort to keep it there. We’ve decided, out of necessity, to no longer stigmatize illegitimacy. Because we thought we could disconnect sex and procreation with contraception and abortion.
There’s been a “trivorce” (three-way divorce) between sex, marriage, and procreation in our culture. We have sex without marriage, babies without marriage, marriage without babies, sex without babies, marriage without sex, and babies without sex.
There’s been a “trivorce” (three-way divorce) between sex, marriage, and procreation in our culture. We have sex without marriage, babies without marriage, marriage without babies, sex without babies, marriage without sex, and babies without sex.