Page:The rights of women and the sexual relations.djvu/89

Rh on the real or supposed opinion of others towards whom this sense of shame shows itself. But the correctness or falseness of this opinion determines whether there is any occasion for shame or not.

If we think of mankind in a state of nature, we can hardly suppose that such a thing as sexual shame existed between man and woman. But if we follow up the progress of development the growth of shame can easily be explained from externals. The periodic indisposition of woman gradually began to impress the man disagreeablythe woman concealed it — she was ashamed. Pregnancy with its consequences disfigured feminine beauty: the woman draped herself — she was ashamed. In the course of propagation deformities and cripples arose: the deformed woman improved her shape with artificial means — she was ashamed. Children born outside of marriage, who were not supported by any pater familias, and whom the mother could not support, became the burden of others; pregnancy outside of marriage was therefore condemned: the woman made a secret of it — she was ashamed. The excesses of certain shameless periods brought about reactions which, with the immoderate practice, likewise condemned the moderate practice; therefore all sexual manifestations had to be avoided: people were ashamed. And since religion has even pressed the stamp of holiness on every suppression of nature,