Men obviously had no control over, or ability to supervise, any aspect of childbirth. This event was
entirely the responsibility and preserve of the female sex. As Quaife remarks, ‘Menstruation was a
magical act that terrified the primitive male. Birth was a fundamental mystery denied him.’ Most
national authorities were accordingly to be equally disturbed by the same realisation. If they
believed that women had the ability and will to influence and determine the workings of society
through their sexual magnetism, could they not do this to a still greater extent, owing to their
monopoly on the reproductive process? Is it not a common saying that, ‘The hand that rocks the
cradle, rules the world!’13 The scapegoating and persecution of women were apparently accelerated
further as a consequence of the elite having grasped this eventuality. In conjunction with this
undertaking, these authorities attempted to degrade the process of childbirth as they had the sexual
act. According to the propaganda circulated by the hierarchies, menstruation and travail were to be
equated with pollution. It was to be regarded as a time of disgrace, labour pains being a just
punishment for indulging in the sins of the flesh. Lowering the tone of the most ‘holy of
procedures’ was the authorities’ attempt at controlling this function.
Men obviously had no control over, or ability to supervise, any aspect of childbirth. This event wasentirely the responsibility and preserve of the female sex. As Quaife remarks, ‘Menstruation was amagical act that terrified the primitive male. Birth was a fundamental mystery denied him.’ Mostnational authorities were accordingly to be equally disturbed by the same realisation. If theybelieved that women had the ability and will to influence and determine the workings of societythrough their sexual magnetism, could they not do this to a still greater extent, owing to theirmonopoly on the reproductive process? Is it not a common saying that, ‘The hand that rocks thecradle, rules the world!’13 The scapegoating and persecution of women were apparently acceleratedfurther as a consequence of the elite having grasped this eventuality. In conjunction with thisundertaking, these authorities attempted to degrade the process of childbirth as they had the sexualact. According to the propaganda circulated by the hierarchies, menstruation and travail were to beequated with pollution. It was to be regarded as a time of disgrace, labour pains being a justpunishment for indulging in the sins of the flesh. Lowering the tone of the most ‘holy ofprocedures’ was the authorities’ attempt at controlling this function.
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