To the political Left, abortion rights ARE "women's rights," as simplistic and inane as that may be. Abortion rights are called “women’s rights” because abortion on demand is such a central part of what was a generation ago, called the “sexual revolution.”
In the 1960s new contraceptives (the pill, etc.), coupled with abortion on demand made the "sexual revolution" possible because it apparently "liberated women" from the fear of unwanted pregnancy resulting from casual sex.
Of course, with the tens of millions of abortions done since Roe was passed, apparently abortion has morphed into a sort of "back-up contraception."
Previous to the "sexual revolution" BOTH men and women had to consider the possibility of a lifetime commitment to a child and a permanent link to each other (like it or not) before engaging in sexual relations.
It was a ponderous consideration for both sides and families and society vigorously sought to protect a woman's honor and reduce her vulnerabilities via "shotgun weddings” (which were far more prevalent) among families back then and strict child support laws enacted by governments.
All of this served to force people to consider sex a byproduct of commitment to family, but that was too restrictive for Leftists, who saw "the patriarchal family" as one of the pillars that held the "oppressive Western culture" (with its emphasis on private property rights, market-based economies, individual liberties and personal responsibility) together.
The problem was that, as it existed, Western culture had succeeded in delivering the MOST prosperity to the MOST people.
What those opposed to property rights, market-based economies and individualism sought to do was to fight for FREEDOM FROM personal responsibility (“license”), in the name of “freedom.”
The “non-conformist” movement that began in the 1950s against Western “Corporate culture” pretended to be a “freedom” movement – “the freedom to be one’s self” – but it was really an ill-conceived movement to free people from the rigid confines and responsibilities of the corporate culture (work and life), which was one of the things that produced so much of the prosperity that Western cultures enjoyed.
The sexual revolution was even more important, because it freed people from an even more basic responsibility, the responsibility for caring for and respecting their own bodies.
A woman’s “reputation” became a mere joke, to the point, where today, young women can scarcely imagine a time when families sent teens who got pregnant away “with family” for extended periods, or kept them secluded claiming they’d come down with “infectious mononucleosis” in order to shield those girls (and their families) from public scorn and ridicule.
In so doing, the “sexual revolution” reduced the unwanted and unplanned for results of casual sex, all those unwanted babies, now referred to as “fetuses,” to mere refuse/garbage.
The “sexual revolution” was and remains a direct assault on Western culture.
It has been embraced by so many people because most of us have, within us, a libertine streak, that finds the “if it feels good, do it” mantra to be attractive, especially when “doing it” comes with absolutely “no strings attached.”
Today, people who embrace abstinence and eschew casual sex out of “self-respect,” are considered “prudes” and worse, religions which vainly preached against casual, irresponsible sex have seen the size of their congregations shrink. The huge decrease in Church attendance that preceded the Evangelical and “Born Again” movement was certainly related to society’s changing view of casual sex.
In divorcing sex from family-life, it further divorced individuals from personal responsibility and the problem with undermining personal responsibility is that without personal responsibility (accountability) there is no real SELF OWNERSHIP.
And that was the real, primary goal of the “sexual revolution.”
In the 1960s new contraceptives (the pill, etc.), coupled with abortion on demand made the "sexual revolution" possible because it apparently "liberated women" from the fear of unwanted pregnancy resulting from casual sex.
Of course, with the tens of millions of abortions done since Roe was passed, apparently abortion has morphed into a sort of "back-up contraception."
Previous to the "sexual revolution" BOTH men and women had to consider the possibility of a lifetime commitment to a child and a permanent link to each other (like it or not) before engaging in sexual relations.
It was a ponderous consideration for both sides and families and society vigorously sought to protect a woman's honor and reduce her vulnerabilities via "shotgun weddings” (which were far more prevalent) among families back then and strict child support laws enacted by governments.
All of this served to force people to consider sex a byproduct of commitment to family, but that was too restrictive for Leftists, who saw "the patriarchal family" as one of the pillars that held the "oppressive Western culture" (with its emphasis on private property rights, market-based economies, individual liberties and personal responsibility) together.
The problem was that, as it existed, Western culture had succeeded in delivering the MOST prosperity to the MOST people.
What those opposed to property rights, market-based economies and individualism sought to do was to fight for FREEDOM FROM personal responsibility (“license”), in the name of “freedom.”
The “non-conformist” movement that began in the 1950s against Western “Corporate culture” pretended to be a “freedom” movement – “the freedom to be one’s self” – but it was really an ill-conceived movement to free people from the rigid confines and responsibilities of the corporate culture (work and life), which was one of the things that produced so much of the prosperity that Western cultures enjoyed.
The sexual revolution was even more important, because it freed people from an even more basic responsibility, the responsibility for caring for and respecting their own bodies.
A woman’s “reputation” became a mere joke, to the point, where today, young women can scarcely imagine a time when families sent teens who got pregnant away “with family” for extended periods, or kept them secluded claiming they’d come down with “infectious mononucleosis” in order to shield those girls (and their families) from public scorn and ridicule.
In so doing, the “sexual revolution” reduced the unwanted and unplanned for results of casual sex, all those unwanted babies, now referred to as “fetuses,” to mere refuse/garbage.
The “sexual revolution” was and remains a direct assault on Western culture.
It has been embraced by so many people because most of us have, within us, a libertine streak, that finds the “if it feels good, do it” mantra to be attractive, especially when “doing it” comes with absolutely “no strings attached.”
Today, people who embrace abstinence and eschew casual sex out of “self-respect,” are considered “prudes” and worse, religions which vainly preached against casual, irresponsible sex have seen the size of their congregations shrink. The huge decrease in Church attendance that preceded the Evangelical and “Born Again” movement was certainly related to society’s changing view of casual sex.
In divorcing sex from family-life, it further divorced individuals from personal responsibility and the problem with undermining personal responsibility is that without personal responsibility (accountability) there is no real SELF OWNERSHIP.
And that was the real, primary goal of the “sexual revolution.”
