Olson 1

Matthew Olson
Mr. Nickell
ENGL1213 MWF 8:00
26 !ril 201"
#ontrace!tion$ the %&e'(al )e*ol(tion+ o, the -erican 1.60s$ an/ the E,,ects
#on/o-s$ !ills$ /ia!hra0-s$ etc. all ,or-s o, arti,icial contrace!tion$ which 0rew in
!o!(larit1 in -erica a,ter a 2arra0e o, ,orce,(l -arketin0 in the 1.60s. 3hese ha/ !ro,o(n/
e,,ects on -erican societ1$ an/ their i-!act !ersists to/a1.
4(t the so5calle/ %&e'(al )e*ol(tion+ o, that !erio/ act(all1 has its 2asis in !a0an c(lt(re
an/ the earl1 ,ra-ework o, Mar0aret &an0er$ the ,o(n/er o, 6lanne/ 6arenthoo/$ so earlier
histor1 -(st ,irst 2e (n/erstoo/.
6a0ans$ those that worshi! aro(n/ te-!oral ele-ents$ took e'ce!tionall1 keen interest in sel,5
e-!ower-ent an/ 0reater control o, their 2o/ies. 3heir /o-inance in the ol/ )o-an E-!ire
hel!e/ the- to !ioneer contrace!ti*e stan/ar/s which a/*ance/ (ntil st(nte/ 21 incessant
o!!osition ,ro- the #hristian %#h(rch Fathers+. 4irth re0(lation /i/ not chan0e -(ch$
technolo0icall1$ o*er these cent(ries: 0oat skins$ weir/ concoctions$ an/ other !ri-iti*e o!tions
sta1e/ as the (s(al -etho/s. 7%Sex and Childbirth in Ancient Rome)
#arr1in0 their 2anner into the twentieth5cent(r1$ howe*er$ was &an0er$ who wante/ -ore
con*enient o!tions. &he en*isione/ a worl/ o!!ose/ to the conte-!orar1 #o-stock Law$ which
!lace/ li-its on her ,a*ore/ !ro8ects. For this$ she is co--onl1 !raise/. &he was also$ tho(0h$
colore/ 21 racis- an/ conte-!t ,or %in,erior+ !eo!le. &he sai/$ %9We sho(l/: a!!l1 a stern an/
Olson 2
ri0i/ !olic1 o, sterili;ation an/ se0re0ation to that 0ra/e o, !o!(lation whose !ro0en1 is tainte/$
or whose inheritance is s(ch that o28ectiona2le traits -a1 2e trans-itte/ to o,,s!rin0.+
7Enri<(e;=
While &an0er ha/ these less a!!ealin0 reasons ,or !ro-otin0 it those o, e(0enics an/ her
!lanne/ eli-ination o, racial -inorities an/ her -e-or1 re-ains clo(/e/ 21 her s(!!ort ,or
,orce/ sterili;ations$ she has re-aine/ as one o, contrace!tion>s -ost !ro-inent historical
s(!!orters$ an/ the or0ani;ation she ,o(n/e/ has /one -ore than *irt(all1 an1 other to
!o!(lari;e it in -erican societ1. 7Enri<(e;= ?er or0ani;ation ,(n/e/ the /e*elo!-ent o,
hor-onal contrace!ti*e !ills$ an/ ens(re/ their wi/e a*aila2ilit1 in the 1.60>s. &an0er$ there,ore$
/eser*es -(ch o, the cre/it ,or the !o!(larit1 o, arti,icial 2irth control.
Now$ 0i*en the 0eneral reli0iosit1 o, -ericans an/ the e,,ects that this has on !(2lic !olic1$
it is necessar1 to (n/erstan/ the historic o!inions o, the reli0io(s on the iss(e.
,ter the 1.30 La-2eth #on,erence$ an n0lican !rocee/in0$ anno(nce/ its s(!!ort ,or
contrace!tion in li-ite/ circ(-stances$ 6o!e 6i(s @A iss(e/ a stern$ #atholic re2(ttal in Casti
Connubii. ?e wrote$ %9:-on0st the 2lessin0s o, -arria0e$ the chil/ hol/s the ,irst !lace. B 9A:t
is easil1 seen how 0reat a 0i,t o, /i*ine 0oo/ness an/ how re-arka2le a ,r(it o, -arria0e are
chil/ren 2orn 21 the o-ni!otent !ower o, Go/ thro(0h the coo!eration o, those 2o(n/ in
we/lock. B 9M:atri-onial ,aith /e-an/s that h(s2an/ an/ wi,e 2e 8oine/ in an es!eciall1 hol1
an/ !(re lo*e$ not as a/(lterers lo*e each other$ 2(t as #hrist lo*e/ the #h(rch. B s &t.
(0(stine notes$ >Anterco(rse e*en with one>s le0iti-ate wi,e is (nlaw,(l an/ wicke/ where the
conce!tion o, the o,,s!rin0 is !re*ente/. Onan$ the son o, C(/a$ /i/ this an/ the Lor/ kille/ hi-
Olson 3
,or it.>+ 7Pius XI)
Man1 other reli0io(s or0ani;ations were on5the5,ence in this -atter. &o-e 6rotestants hel/
enth(sias-s ,or !ersonal li2ert1 an/ new ,e-inis-s an/ there,ore s(!!orte/ the a/*ent o,
(!/ate/ contrace!ti*e -etho/s$ while others hel/ (! the writin0s o, Martin L(ther an/ Cohn
#al*in 72oth *ocal critics o, the !ractice= ,or their !osition. O, co(rse$ *irt(all1 all o, these
entities$ asi/e ,ro- the #atholic #h(rch 7which rea,,ir-e/ its !osition with 6o!e 6a(l DA>s
Humanae Vitae=$ a!!ro*e/ o, the !ractice 21 the en/ o, the 1.60s. 3he #h(rch alone %9stoo/:
erect in the -i/st o, the -oral r(in which s(rro(n/9e/: her$+ to ,(rther <(ote 6i(s @A. 7Pius
XI)
While the -a8orit1 o, -ericans ca-e to acce!t contrace!tion a,ter the 0iant in,l(ences o,
the %&e'(al )e*ol(tion+ starte/ to 2e ,elt$ there was still -(ch o!!osition a-on0 cler01 o, all
,aiths$ as well as -e/ical s!ecialists. 3his sets the 2ack/ro! ,or this essa1>s s(28ect an/ ti-e
!erio/.
3he c(lt(re o, the 60s was certainl1 *i2rant. 3his was in the a0e o, rock an/ roll$ /r(0 (sa0e$
an/ re2ellion. 3his c(lt(re was !re!are/ to throw o,, the shackles o, !ast -orals an/ e-2race
-o/ern ones. Wi/es!rea/ (se o, contrace!tion was 8(st the c(l-ination o, the care5,ree
-entalit1 that ha/ alrea/1 2een 2(ilt (!. ,ter the &(!re-e #o(rt>s r(lin0 in Griswold v.
Connecticut$ which there21 in*ente/ a s!ecial ri0ht to !ri*ac1 an/ ,or-all1 le0ali;e/
contrace!ti*e !ractices$ the ,loo/50ates o!ene/
/*ertisin0 o, contrace!ti*e !ro/(cts was e,,ecti*e$ tho(0h so-ewhat /(!licito(s. 3he
a/*ertisin0 so(0ht to at least stir (! interest in their co(nter5c(lt(ral o,,ensi*e$ es!eciall1 in
Olson "
/i,,erentiall15ethnic an/ i-!o*erishe/ co--(nities. &o-e$ /eli2eratel1 tar0ete/ towar/s !eo!le
o, ,rican /escent$ sai/ thin0s like$ %Eon>t acce!t hal,5tr(ths. 3alk with 1o(r ,a-il1 !lannin0
worker.+ n/ one &!anish a/*ertise-ent$ acco-!anie/ with i-a0es o, contrace!ti*e /e*ices$
can 2e translate/ as sa1in0$ %For the -o-ent$ 1o( ha*e !lent1 o, choices.+ 7%>A, Fo(r Girl,rien/
Gets 6re0nant$ &o Eo Fo(G>+=
Most wo-en$ tho(0h con,(se/ an/ taken a2ack$ /eci/e/ to si-!l1 0o alon0 with the new
stat(s <(o. -inorit1$ howe*er$ withhel/ their s(!!ort ,or a while$ 2eca(se the1 notice/ a threat
to the !ower o, wo-en$ which ha/ alwa1s 2een 0ro(n/e/$ !ri-aril1$ in their re!ro/(cti*e an/
chil/5rearin0 a2ilities. 3his -inorit1 was 2ase/ in the tho(0ht o, the earl1 lea/ers o, the wo-en>s
s(,,ra0e -o*e-ent$ like &(san 4. nthon1.
-a8orit1 o, -en a!!ro*e/ either in a !assi*e wa1 or 21 will,(l actions this
contrace!ti*e -o*e-ent. Force/ 21 a 2arra0e o, sha-e5instillin0 !ro!a0an/a an/ e'hortations to
%9k:ee! a r(22er on han/+$ -ost 0a*e in to co-!lacenc1 an/ an (n(s(al$ !erha!s so-ewhat
in*ol(ntar1$ /e,erence to wo-en>s !ersonal %choices+ in -atters relatin0 to re!ro/(ction. Other
-en$ !ro*oke/ 21 e'cla-ations like$ %A, 1o(r 0irl,rien/ 0ets !re0nant$ so /o 1o(G+ !ossi2l1
s(!!orte/ these %choices+ o(t o, sel,ishness. 7%>A, Fo(r Girl,rien/ Gets 6re0nant$ &o Eo Fo(G>+=
3he tra/itional reli0io(s were ,ille/ with a ri0hteo(s ,(r1. 6a(l DA$ in the -i/st o, all o, this$
reiterate/ wor/in0 ,ro- the &econ/ Datican #o(ncil: %Marria0e an/ con8(0al lo*e are 21 their
nat(re or/aine/ towar/ the !rocreation an/ e/(cation o, chil/ren. #hil/ren are reall1 the
s(!re-e 0i,t o, -arria0e an/ contri2(te in the hi0hest /e0ree to their !arents> wel,are.+ 3he
!onti,, went on to connect %res!onsi2le !arenthoo/+ with 2ein0 0enerall1 aware$ in accor/ with
Olson H
%the o28ecti*e -oral or/er+ an/ %the nat(ral law+$ an/ o!en to li,e. n/ o, !artic(lar concern to
hi- was the societal !lace-ent o, wo-en: %9: -an who 0rows acc(sto-e/ to the (se o,
contrace!ti*e -etho/s -a1 ,or0et the re*erence /(e to a wo-an$ an/$ /isre0ar/in0 her !h1sical
an/ e-otional e<(ili2ri(-$ re/(ce her to 2ein0 a -ere instr(-ent ,or the satis,action o, his own
/esires$ no lon0er consi/erin0 her as his !artner who- he sho(l/ s(rro(n/ with care an/
a,,ection.+ 76a(l DA=
#ontrace!tion$ tho(0h$ in s!ite o, the -an1 o28ections a0ainst it$ contin(o(sl1 0aine/
-o-ent(- an/ 2ro(0ht a2o(t -an1 chan0es.
4(o1e/ 21 the )ocke,eller Fo(n/ation an/ other cor!orate interests$ contrace!tion
i--e/iatel1 an/ 0reatl1 a,,ecte/ econo-ics. O, co(rse$ one co(l/ 0ri!e that this co(l/ ha*e
2een e'!ecte/$ as %econo-1+ co-es ,ro- the Greek wor/ oikos$ which -eans %ho-e+. 4(t still$
the chan0es ca-e as a shock. More wo-en lea!e/ into the work ,orce$ !(shin0 o(t less5<(ali,ie/
-en an/$ ,ollowin0 the laws 2in/in0 i-2alances o, s(!!lies *ers(s /e-an/s$ e*ent(all1 2rin0in0
/own wa0es. 3his real wa0e /ecrease was onl1 initiall1 thwarte/ 21 (nioni;ation$ -assi*e
increases in 0o*ern-ent s!en/in0$ an/ a lack o, 0lo2ali;ation. 7)e(ss=
#ontrace!tion ha/ terri2le e,,ects on health$ as well$ an/ we now reco0ni;e that sit(ations
were worse than societ1 then tho(0ht. #o(!le/ with %laws !er-ittin0 !h1sicians to treat
teena0ers ,or &3Es witho(t noti,1in0 their !arents+ an/ so on$ in,ections like 0onorrhea 2e0an to
s!rea/$ -ore nota2l1 a-on0 wo-en 7Mascola$ et al.=. On to! o, that$ a 2013 st(/1 shows that
%ha*in0 (se/ 2irth5control !ills ele*ates the risk o, /e*elo!in0 2reast cancer nearl1 ten,ol/+
7McGo*ern=$ an/ we sho(l/ know that these !ills are /irectl1 tie/ to increase/ risk o, heart
Olson 6
attacks$ strokes$ an/ -ore 7Wol,en/en=. lso$ to/a1$ at least 1"I o, hi0h school seniors ha*e ha/
,o(r !artners or -ore$ an/ at least one in ,o(r teena0ers has ha/ a se'(all15trans-itte/ /isease
7Strasburger=: 2oth rates were (n!rece/ente/ 2e,ore the 1.60s. ll o, this$ 0athere/
to0ether$ shows that the se'(alit1 o, the 60s h(rts e*er1one$ 2(t h(rts wo-en /is!ro!ortionatel1.
&(rel1$ the state o, ci*il -arria0e was lessene/ at this ti-e$ too. &!(rre/ 21 this new5,o(n/
se'(al tool$ in,i/elit1 an/ /i*orce 2oth sk1rockete/. 7N(nle1$ et al.=
3hese thin0s -(st 2e taken into acco(nt. rti,icial contrace!tion$ likel1 /(e to the ,act that it
is now wi/el1 taken ,or 0rante/$ is a to!ic (n/er little scr(tin1 an/ o, har/l1 an1 /isc(ssion. Ats
i-!act$ on the contrar1$ /ictates that this -(st not 2e so an/ that it is$ in ,act$ worth1 o, 0reater
attention.
Olson J
Works #ite/
1. Enri<(e;$ La(ren. K105E1e5O!enin0 L(otes Fro- 6lanne/ 6arenthoo/ Fo(n/er Mar0aret
&an0er.K LifeNews.com. N.!.$ 11 Mar 2013. We2. 26 !r. 201".
Mhtt!:NNwww.li,enews.co-N2013N03N11N105e1e5o!enin05<(otes5,ro-5!lanne/5!arenthoo/5
,o(n/er5-ar0aret5san0erNO.
2. %>A, Fo(r Girl,rien/ Gets 6re0nant$ &o Eo Fo(G>: 13 -a;in0 Dinta0e #ontrace!ti*e /s.+
Mother Jones. Mother Cones an/ the Fo(n/ation ,or National 6ro0ress$ n./. We2. 26 !r.
201". Mhtt!:NNwww.-other8ones.co-Nsli/eshowsN2012N0.N*inta0e5contrace!tion5
a/sN18!0O.
3. Mascola$ La(rene$ Willar/ #ates Cr.$ Gla/1s ?. )e1nol/s$ an/ Cose!h ?. 4lo(nt. KGonorrhea
an/ &al!in0itis a-on0 -erican 3eena0ers$ 1.6051.81.K CDC.gov. #enters ,or Eisease
#ontrol an/ 6re*ention$ 1 (0. 1.83. We2. 26 !r. 201".
Mhtt!:NNwww.c/c.0o*N--wrN!re*iewN--wrht-lN00001J1J.ht-O.
". McGo*ern$ #eleste. K&t(/1: 4irth5#ontrol 6ill an/ 2ortion &!ike 4reast5#ancer )isk.K
National Catholic egister. EW3N News$ Anc.$ 8 Can. 201". We2. 26 !r. 201".
Mhtt!:NNwww.ncre0ister.co-N/ail15newsNst(/152irth5control5!ill5an/5a2ortion5s!ike5
2reast5cancer5riskNO.
H. N(nle1$ Cohn$ an/ Coachi- Piet;. K3he Q.&. Ei*orce )ate: 3he 1.60s &(r0e Ders(s Ats Lon05
)(n Eeter-inants.K Munich !ersonal e!"c #rchive. N.!.$ 1J C(l1 200.. We2. 26 !r.
Olson 8
201". Mhtt!:NN-!ra.(2.(ni5-(enchen./eN1631JNO.
6. 6a(l DA$ 6o!e. %?(-anae Ditae.+ Vatican.va. Vatican, 2 !ul "#$%. &eb. '
A(r 2)"'.
*htt(+,,---..atican..a,hol/01ather,(aul0.i,enc/clicals,documents
,h10(2 .i0enc02)3"#$%0humanae2.itae0en.html4.
J. Pius XI, Po(e. 5Casti Connubii. Vatican.va. Vatican, 6" 7ec
"#6). &eb. ' A(r 2)"'.
*htt(+,,---..atican..a,hol/01ather,(ius0xi,enc/clicals,documents
,h10(2 xi0enc06""2"#6)0casti2connubii0en.html4.
8. )e(ss$ le8an/ro. K3hat >J0s #risis.K Dollars & Sense. 8.(., n.d. &eb. 2$
A(r. 2)"'.
*htt(+,,---.dollarsandsense.org,archi.es,2))#,"")#reuss.html4.
.. K&e' an/ #hil/2irth in ncient )o-e.K . N.!.$ n./. We2. 26 !r. 201".
Mhtt!:NNwww.a,n.or0NRa,n32612N#ontrace!tion.ht-O.
10. &tras2(r0er$ Dictor #.. K&e'(alit1$ #ontrace!tion$ an/ the Me/ia.K Pediatrics.
American Academ/ o1 Pediatrics, 6) Aug. 2)"). &eb. 2$ A(r. 2)"'.
*htt(+,,(ediatrics.aa((ublications.org,content,"2$,6,3$.1ull4.
11. Wol,en/en$ Eli;a2eth. K3he Ne0ati*e E,,ects o, 4irth #ontrol.K L$V"%&'NG.C'M.
Ee-an/ Me/ia$ Anc.$ 6 Eec. 200.. We2. 26 !r. 201".
Olson .
Mhtt!:NNwww.li*estron0.co-NarticleN"8H005 ne0ati*e5e,,ects52irth5controlNO.