Abortion a Landmark U.S. Supreme

Abortion

A landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision regarding abortion occurred in 1973: Roe vs. Wade. The Supreme Court decided that abortion in the U.S. is legal during the 1st trimester of pregnancy. The pregnant woman has the legal right to decide to keep or terminate her pregnancy. "The basis of the Court's decision in this case was the Ninth Amendment, in stating 'the enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people,' protected a person's right to privacy" (Lewis, 1999).

Impact on Male and Female Sexuality

Abortion obviously takes the lives of young infants, but it can also ruin the lives of their mothers. Many women, post-abortion, experience great levels of depression. They realize the implications of what they have done, but it is too late. They have already killed their unborn child, and they are emotionally scarred for life. Though uncommon, there have been cases in which mothers committed suicide after they had an abortion, because they would not be able to go through life with their own infant's blood on their hands. Also, the mother can by hurt physically due to having an abortion. A bad doctor could leave a woman in great pain, or the mother could even die in rare occasions. In some cases, the mother will not be able to have children anymore, even when she decides that she is ready for that kind of responsibility.

How the Topic Has Changed Over Time

In the Holy Bible, it states over and over that it is against the law of God to take another person's life. "Abortion is the spontaneous or induced therapeutic expulsion of the products of conception from the uterus before fetal viability (fetal weight of less than 171/2 oz (500g) and gestation of less than 20 weeks)" (Springhouse Corporation, 1989, p.911-912). Even if the fetus is too little to be seen with the naked eye, it is still a living being. Every child that is conceived is one-of-a-kind, and it has characteristics of humans. This proves that the little "thing" inside the mother is indeed already a human being. People in our country take credit for things that only God can do; only God has the wisdom to determine who will live and who will die. It is considered murder when someone kills a newborn; therefore, it should also be murder when it occurs inside the mother.

Status Today

In the past few years, there has been an ongoing debate in the United States over the topic of abortion. There have been many advances in the procedures involved in abortions, but many people think that these procedures should not be put into practice. Our country is split into two factions. Those that support abortion, the Pro-Choice; and those that are against abortion, the Pro-Life. There will be a struggle between those that are Pro-Life and those that are Pro-Choice for years to come; that is, until the government steps in and passes a statute forbidding it.

Birth Control Pills

Origin of the Topic

According to infoplease.com, birth control devices started to become more popular in 1870, and a wide variety of them became available to the public. In 1873 Anthony Comstock and other lobbies lobbied congressmen voted on a bill that made the distribution or trade of birth control information and devices illegal nationwide, and through the mail. Abortion was also made illegal in most states. According to answers.com, the bill was called the Comstock law. The trade in birth control devices continued, mostly at the postal level, because postal agents were lacking the enforcement of the law, so most of those trades were not punishable. Margaret Sanger is the main figure of the Birth Control Movement. She had a degree in nursing, and as newly married she moved in to New York in 1911, and joined the socialist party. She has opened the first birth control clinic in the United States on October 16, 1916, it was in Brooklyn - New York, and ran by her sister Ethel Byrne, the clinic provided birth control devices as well as information. It was closed by the New York City police ten days after its opening for violation of the Comstock law. Sanger was arrested and received a thirty day jail sentence. A year later in 1917, Sanger helped in the organization of the Nation Birth Control League, the next year in 1918 a judge from the Court of Appeals of New York named Frederick Crane stated in his decision that doctors are allowed to prescribe birth control to women for the cure or prevention of a disease, six years after in 1923, she started another birth control clinic, with a physician which also was in New York.

Impact on Male and Female Sexuality

Most widely used birth control pills are combination of the hormones estrogen and progesterone to prevent ovulation (the release of an egg during the monthly cycle). A woman cannot get pregnant if she doesn't ovulate because there is no egg to be fertilized. The Pill also works by thickening the mucus around the cervix, which makes it difficult for sperm to enter the uterus and reach any eggs that may have been released. The hormones in the Pill can also sometimes affect the lining of the uterus, making it difficult for an egg to attach to the wall of the uterus.

How the Topic Has Changed Over Time

There has been a sudden change and sharp increase of birth control prices, particularly in college health centers and community clinics. These health facilities used to offer birth control to students and community members for as little as $5-15 dollars a month. However suddenly, these costumers are seeing the price sky-rocketed to as much as $50.

Status Today

The Prevention Through Affordable Access Act is a bill that has recently been presented to the House and the Senate. The bill asks for the restoration of discounted contraception prices in colleges and low-income clinics. In addition to this bill, Planned Parenthood is sponsoring a petition to send to lawmakers to re-establish the status quo in regards to contraceptives.

Prostitution

Origin of the Topic

One of the earliest recorded instances of prostitution can be traced to the temple prostitution that existed in Babylon and other ancient civilizations. For example, all unmarried Babylonian women, before being allowed to marry, were required to prostitute themselves to the first man who approached them in certain designated religious temples. Inasmuch as this custom was a universal pre-condition of marriage, it appears that the participants were not stigmatized in any way (Decker, 1966, p. 30). However, the actual organization of this practice illustrates several interesting points about the role of women in Babylonian society. Although men who wished the services of temple prostitutes had to offer some financial consideration, it did not have to be significant. Further, the fact that temple prostitutes were not permitted to refuse a customer, combined with the fact that it was required of all women, suggests that its primary purpose was to reinforce the notion that women were the property of males. It is also likely that temple prostitution facilitated the double standard which allowed men greater sexual freedom than women.

Impact on Male and Female Sexuality

The best place to start any discussion of prostitution is by examining why women enter prostitution. Much of the social-psychological research on prostitution portrays prostitutes as young, poorly educated women who turn to prostitution because of significant personal problems (Shaver, 1993). In this scenario, they are likely to be addicted to drugs and come from backgrounds where they were physically and sexually abused. Thus, they suffer from low self-esteem and are easily manipulated by other participants in prostitution, including customers and pimps

How the Topic Has Changed Over Time

Over time, sociologists have attempted to redefine "prostitution" to exclude relationships which are longer term and/or in which there is a pretense of an emotional relationship. Thus, many sociologists would limit the definition of prostitution to those activities in which sex is exchanged for immediate financial reward, and in which that there is no ongoing emotional and/or social relationship between the participants. In addition, the sociological definition of prostitution also stipulates that there must be a more or less indiscriminate selection of partners before a woman is considered a prostitute (Gomme, 1993).

Status Today

Prostitution represents one of the most frustrating and contradictory social and political dilemmas facing today's society. The roots of this dilemma stem both from the ambivalent attitudes towards prostitution expressed by the public, and the difficulties inherent in attempting to control prostitution so as to minimize the negative aspects of the prostitution trade. In this respect, there is little doubt that prostitution is an activity that many members of the public consider deviant and undesirable. At the same time, there is increasing evidence that both the public and many politicians feel that prostitution is impossible to eliminate and that the best course of action would be some form of decriminalization or legalization.

Virginity

Origin of the Topic

The most common origin of virginity is derived from Christianity. Christianity teaches that sex before marriage is wrong. Sex should only occur between a man and a woman who are married. Sex outside of marriage is considered an abomination to God. The Bible states that when a man leaves home, he should cleave unto his wife and they shall become one flesh.

Impact on Male and Female Sexuality

Phone sex, masturbation, and sensual massages are just a few activities in which couples can participate together without risking the loss of virginity. Sensual massages release endorphins that enhance moods so that the receiving individual is left satisfied with just being touched. Many people might find these activities embarrassing or unusual, but if you cannot engage in such activities with your partner, why would you commit to having a sexual relationship or marriage? It would take a lot of trust and commitment to self-stimulate one's self in the presence of his or her partner without performing sexual intercourse. Nonetheless, there are also other alternatives such as erotic story-telling, role playing, and wearing costumes that provide couples with the opportunity to openly express their sexual identities.

How the Topic Has Changed Over Time

If you were to study the changing meaning of virginity over the last century in our society, you would discover that the norm stating that people remain virgins until marriage has become weaker.

Status Today

Various people over the world value virginity and believe that sexual intercourse should only occur after marriage, but in this modern area, that can be difficult due to the tremendous advertising of sex as well as biological and emotional urges. All though there are many people who don't believe in sex before marriage, I believe there are an equal amount that do. I remember there was a time when being a virgin was important, but now it seems as if being a virgin doesn't matter one way or the other. In some instances, I have heard individuals being criticized and bullied for remaining a virgin, and I would think to myself when we as a society became this way.

Prostitution

Origin of the Topic

One of the earliest recorded instances of prostitution can be traced to the temple prostitution that existed in Babylon and other ancient civilizations. For example, all unmarried Babylonian women, before being allowed to marry, were required to prostitute themselves to the first man who approached them in certain designated religious temples. Inasmuch as this custom was a universal pre-condition of marriage, it appears that the participants were not stigmatized in any way (Decker, 1966, p. 30). However, the actual organization of this practice illustrates several interesting points about the role of women in Babylonian society. Although men who wished the services of temple prostitutes had to offer some financial consideration, it did not have to be significant. Further, the fact that temple prostitutes were not permitted to refuse a customer, combined with the fact that it was required of all women, suggests that its primary purpose was to reinforce the notion that women were the property of males. It is also likely that temple prostitution facilitated the double standard which allowed men greater sexual freedom than women.

Impact on Male and Female Sexuality

The best place to start any discussion of prostitution is by examining why women enter prostitution. Much of the social-psychological research on prostitution portrays prostitutes as young, poorly educated women who turn to prostitution because of significant personal problems (Shaver, 1993). In this scenario, they are likely to be addicted to drugs and come from backgrounds where they were physically and sexually abused. Thus, they suffer from low self-esteem and are easily manipulated by other participants in prostitution, including customers and pimps

How the Topic Has Changed Over Time

Over time, sociologists have attempted to redefine "prostitution" to exclude relationships which are longer term and/or in which there is a pretense of an emotional relationship. Thus, many sociologists would limit the definition of prostitution to those activities in which sex is exchanged for immediate financial reward, and in which that there is no ongoing emotional and/or social relationship between the participants. In addition, the sociological definition of prostitution also stipulates that there must be a more or less indiscriminate selection of partners before a woman is considered a prostitute (Gomme, 1993).

Status Today

Prostitution represents one of the most frustrating and contradictory social and political dilemmas facing today's society. The roots of this dilemma stem both from the ambivalent attitudes towards prostitution expressed by the public, and the difficulties inherent in attempting to control prostitution so as to minimize the negative aspects of the prostitution trade. In this respect, there is little doubt that prostitution is an activity that many members of the public consider deviant and undesirable. At the same time, there is increasing evidence that both the public and many politicians feel that prostitution is impossible to eliminate and that the best course of action would be some form of decriminalization or legalization.