And from a maternal way of thinking, our current numbers are indeed a stunning achievement. They died in childbirth, as did three of my own great-grandmothers, each by the age of 31. Or they squandered their health on pregnancy after pregnancy, with as many as half ending in miscarriage or dead babies. This was the bottom-line argument against women's liberation in the 19th century. But in Cairo the priests and mullahs could hardly invoke biological necessity to silence the forces of feminism.
Empowerment is also women's overdue reward for filling the planet with humans.
With more women freed from repeated childbearing, each child can potentially have a more generous share of attention and resources. If, for example, Hillary had six children instead of just Chelsea, she wouldn't have had many moments to spare for volunteer work with the Children's Defense Fund. Now all that remains is for us to make the cultural leap to an ecologically responsible sexual ethic. This means, at a minimum, guaranteeing contraception, with abortion as a backup, to all who might need it. Time Inc. All rights reserved.