Nice thought . . .
Healthier Attitudes About Sex Equal Less Global Conflict
In 1822,
Jacques-Louis David painted Mars Being Disarmed by Venus. In this beautiful
painting, the goddess of love, Venus, convinces the goddess of war, Mars, to
disarm. For a painter that witnessed the horror of the French Revolution’s Reign
of Terror, his argument to “make love not war” is more than a cliché. What
appears to us now as fantasy and idealization is actually an expression of sober
experience. David was trying to tell us something real about love, safety, and
sex. We should take it seriously. Her are three ways safe sex undermines
conflict.
1. Crime –
Although there is some debate from ideologues, there is general consensus among
analysts that access to contraceptives correlates to a decrease in crime. This
makes sense if you think it through. Lower rates of teen pregnancy, less
disease, deliberate family size allows for greater social and economic
stability. This, in turn, allows for more stable communities and a robust civil
society. These factors make crime less likely and less able to take
hold.
2. Genocide
– Women and children are often explicit targets of genocide. We are reminded of
this by the horrible stories of ISIS, but this was also true in the Sudan and
many other places. This is because an attack on women, as traditional
caretakers, is a tactic to destroy the foundations of family and community. It
follows, therefore, that protecting the human rights of women makes communities
stronger and less vulnerable to extremist unrest. A key component (but not the
only one) of this is enabling women to exercise their agency with regard to
their reproductive health, contraceptives, and family planning. This is a first
step in freeing women to achieve greater political and economic
access.
3. War –
Most wars are fought over resources : oil, gold, rich lands, etc. In the age of
global warming, those resources are vanishing and shifting. This is leading to
refugee crises, economic instability, and conflict. Contraceptives play a vital
role in a more efficient management of resources. When family planning works,
communities are more stable, healthier, and long term development goals are
possible. That’s why organizations like the Gates Foundation and the London
School of Economics see contraceptives at the center of address climate
change.
These three
points are just a few examples of how condoms help bring peace and
reconciliation. Yes, Venus can disarm Mars… especially if she’s well
protected.
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