‘Everything in woman is a riddle, and everything in woman hath one solution—it is called pregnancy. Man is for woman a means: the purpose is always the child.’ –Nietzsche
A world without “the pill” is unimaginable to many young women who now use it to treat acne, skip periods, improve mood and, of course, prevent pregnancy. They might be surprised to learn that U.S. officials announcing approval of the world’s first oral contraceptive were uncomfortable.
“Our own ideas of morality had nothing to do with the case,” said John Harvey of the Food and Drug Administration in 1960.
The pill was safe, in other words. Don’t blame us if you think it’s wicked.Sunday, Mother’s Day, is the 50th anniversary of that provocative announcement that introduced to the world what is now widely acknowledged as one of the most important inventions of the last century.
