Motherhood and the Relationships of the SexesHartley, C. Gasquoine (Catherine Gasquoine)
Philosophy
Motherhood and the Relationships of the Sexes
Hartley, C. Gasquoine (Catherine Gasquoine)
Mothers; Sex; Women -- Social and moral questions
If we try to take an entirely practical view of the position, certain
grave facts must, I think, become evident. For side by side with these
forces acting against marriage, and the parental sacrifice necessary to
maintain the ideal of the family, must be placed the nation’s increased
need for children—in particular for male children. The repair of the war
drain on the world’s manhood must fall heaviest on women. It is woman who
has borne and bred and loved each life that has been lost by war. It is
she who will have to make good the waste. This is her bill of compulsory
service.
Never will child life have been so precious as it will be after this
World War. Already in this country we are beginning to recognise this
need. Excellent work for the restriction of infant mortality and the
protection of child life is beginning to be undertaken, and these
questions are receiving a practical recognition which they never gained
in the days of peace. But much more drastic action than has as yet been
considered will be needed. It is certainly not inconceivable that this
need for children may lead to changes both in our public and private
attitudes to many sexual questions. I am hopeful that it may force us to
face squarely many problems that hitherto we have turned from in fear.
Speculations on all matters connected with marriage and the relations
between the sexes are so hazardous that they are likely to be wrong. I
do, however, think that, having regard to the direction in which so many
forces are acting, the position in regard to the special problem we are
considering has become clearer. Monogamous marriage and the home based
upon maternity and offspring has got to be saved. And in my opinion this
will be done most surely by a frank acceptance, under the almost certain
conditions of the future, of more than one form of sexual association.
This proposal is not made lightly. I am not advocating such a course
as being in itself desirable or undesirable. I am attempting merely to
estimate the drift and tendency of the times, considering those forces
that were beginning to act before the war and, as I think, must continue,
even with greater power, after the war. I suggest, therefore, the one
course that seems to me can in any practical way help us to be more
moral. All the facts that we have found work out to force us to the
realisation that an increasing number of women will not be able, and
probably will not desire, even if they marry, to bear children. Now, I
do not believe in changing the ideal of marriage so that its duties no
longer bind women to their children and to the home. I think it better to
make provision for other partnerships, to meet the sex-needs (for we can
cause nothing but evil by failing to meet them) of the women and men who
are not able or do not desire to enter the holy bonds of marriage and
undertake together the duties and sacrifice inevitable to the founding
and maintenance of a family.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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