Pope Paul VI’s predictions was that the widespread use of
contraceptives would lead to a general disregard for the physical and
psychological well-being of females. Here again his words have proven to
be prophetic. One could say that the sexual revolution has done more
for men than women. Males have much easier access to sex compared to
days gone by, when the price of sex for young men was to get married,
act responsibly, and stick around.
The
ascendancy of pornography, which is filtering into mainstream media, is
an assault on the well-being of women. From a very young age, girls are
subjected to the pressure of conforming to the “norm” of no-strings sex
and promiscuous behavior as projected in the movies, TV shows, and
magazines all around them.
All this has helped to solidify the image of
women as sex objects. The huge numbers of young females being forced
into prostitution around the world, and the high rates of sexual abuse
of girls and women even in our own country, cast a dark shadow on the
hoped-for benefits of sexual liberation kindled by the accessibility of
contraceptives.
Current
statistics on the number of single mothers living in poverty contradict
the belief that women’s lives would improve substantially with the
advent of artificial birth control. From 1960 to 2000, the proportion of
children in single-parent families headed by females has more than
tripled in Europe and North America, and many studies have shown that
coming from single-parent families plays a major role in the persistence
of poverty. Even though more women are in the workforce than ever
before, government statistics show that poverty rates among women are
increasing.
At
first blush, the unchanging teachings of the Catholic Church, as history
rumbles by, are not always easy to follow or understand. As we know,
many of Christ’s own followers were dumbfounded by some of his
exhortations and teachings. But as the Church calls us to put our trust
in God and uphold timeless virtues such as fidelity and self-control, we
will find both great wisdom and great love waiting to be rediscovered.
Laura Locke