Now, I don’t know where this idea came from and apologies if it sounds dark but I’m just floating ideas around and looking for meaningful input or debate.

Many effects of contraception are openly discussed and any article you look up will refer to them: more sexual freedom for women, less chance of unwanted pregnancies leading to healthier life choices and (usually) wanted children meaning better family environments and more fulfilled future generations… right?

But what if contraception fundamentally alters society, especially down the line: For hundreds of thousands of years the human race evolved, intermingled and reproduced with subpar contraceptive methods and often none at all. The threat of social stigma and ostracism looming over any sexual partners who engaged in intercourse outside of socially defined boundaries. Sex was also often a concept hidden in the shadows, a far cry from today where consuming porn or going to the strip-club is considered “manly” and being “a slut” is less of an insult, more a badge of honour, a sort of sexual nihilism directly enabled by contraception. The porn industry would collapse tomorrow if it fell off the face of the earth after all.

Besides attitudes, could there be actual genetic effects of only having children when and with whom women have consciously decided to have them? Insofar as they now have the burden of responsibility on them of making the final decision wether or not to have a child, how many, at what time of their life and with who. Given that statistically more women will choose to have theirs later or not at all and because previously they almost invariably had them younger, the biological significance at global population level and several down generations may be noteworthy. Or on the contrary it could mean that we’re on our way to a generation of elites since women’s instincts could prove to be 100% efficient at making decisions about who is genetically more adapted to be the father of their children.

Or did the social stigmas of previous generations play the role of contraception today in gene selection (i.e “you have to be sure you want to marry this man because it will entail having his children” versus “You have to be sure you want to get off the pill for this man”)