hear
more nonsense talked than at the meetings I attended on this subject.
Women's instinctive attitude had a unique chance of displaying itself,
and one wondered at the combined prudery and sentiment with which the
subject was approached, while the most offensive part of their
conventionalism was the sex-obsession, which was clotted, like cream
turned sour, on all their judgments.

Consider again the controversy that has raged with regard to the
providing of prophylactic outfits to our men in the Army and Navy. One
would think this was a simple matter. Precautions taken before, or
within a short time after contact, enormously lessen the dangers of
infection.[141:1] And yet prophylaxis is objected to on the grounds that
it is immoral: that it invites to sexual indulgence by providing
immunity from infection. It is also held to give rise to a false
security.

Really, it is difficult to have patience. Huge sums are being spent in
treating these diseases after they have been contracted, but we must not
give our young men the means whereby they may be prevented from being
contracted. Such miserable prejudice would be funny, unless one
remembers the unconscious cause which gives it so burning a strength.

Some months ago, during the war, I attended a conference to protest
against the giving of prophylactic outfits to the overseas troops. It
was called and conducted by ladies, the incarnation of all the virtues,
effervescing in the most appalling sentimentality I have ever come
across, even at meetings of women met to discuss the morals of men.
Interminable floods of gush! They talked of nothing but purity, its
beauty, its healthfulness, its moral uplifting to the soul of the young
man--its Devil knows what. Venereal diseases were nature's punishment
for impurity; to provide prophylaxis was to insult the pure youth, to
hurry on to sin the youth who was not pure. Such was the pleasing
doctrine slowly and solidly defended, while the real problem of how to
prevent the spread of venereal diseases--especially how to stop the
birth of infected children, was lost in white clouds of virtue. And
many of these women themselves were mothers! When I remonstrated,
attempted to show that the one fact to go for was the prevention of
infection as in that way only could the spread of the plague be stayed
and the innocent saved from suffering with the sinner, I was charged,
denounced, and cut to pieces. I am sure that every one of those goo