You've Come a Long Way, Baby

I was skimming some articles talking about the passing of Hugh Hefner. Some were complimentary, talking about the wonderful contributions he made to society. Others were ... not. "Objectified women", that sort of thing. One said something that caught my eye. "Hefner waged a much-needed battle against the forces of 20th century American puritanism."

Interesting. What is "American puritanism" and why was it "a much-needed battle"?

These questions may not be as easy to answer as they might appear at the surface. The primary problem, as is so often the case, is definition of terms. What did the author mean by "American puritanism". If you were to examine the Puritans' views on sex, I think you might find that they're not all that bizarre and, in fact, are much more ... lively than you might think from the common perception of the term. The Puritans argued that marital love must include sex, a joyful giving of themselves to their partner. They rejected the Augustinian idea that sex was inherently bad and the Roman Catholic preference for celibacy and pressed for marital passion and intimacy. They argued that sex within marriage was a gift of God and even denied that it had to be solely for procreation. One Puritan wrote, "They do err who hold that the secret coming together of man and wife cannot be without sin unless it be done for the procreation of children." In fact, a spouse who refused to give their partner "due benevolence" could face church discipline in Puritan churches. There is an account of at least one husband who was excommunicated for "neglecting his wife" because he refused for two years to have sex with her. To the Puritans, sex in marriage was to be enjoyed "with good will and delight, willingly, readily, and cheerfully." Look, if you were to ask the Puritans what they thought about sex, they would answer, "It's great!" with the single qualification that it be within the bounds of marital fidelity.

So, this "much-needed battle" was much needed because ...? What is it that was so horrible about the Puritan view of sex that it needed to be shot down like a dog? Given the Puritan view here, the only possible answer is "marital fidelity". That rickety old "20th century American puritanism" that required sex be within the bounds of marriage had to go, and Hugh Hefner was the guy to make it happen.

Back in the day, Virginia Slims cigarettes marketed themselves to women with the phrase, "You've come a long way, baby!" The ad glorified cancer-causing cigarettes for women. Hefner glorified the soul-crushing sexual revolution. Not a lot of difference.