Brilliant Kate, thank you. Even though I was only young, I do recollect the Victoria Gillick campaign. It’s astonishing that, though societal attitudes have come so far, there is still a long way to go.
Thanks, Victoria 😀 I know...it's astonishing. Researching this also made me realise that the Pill was issued widely before the possible dangers were really known, as is so often the case with hormonal treatments.
That’s good to hear, Julie! I haven’t actually seen the film, so would be good to track it down. Although as I wrote, Reid Banks wasn’t very impressed with the changes they made to the story! :)
Brilliant piece, and The Millstone is one of my favourite novels. It's extraordinary to me how slowly attitudes changed towards giving unmarried women contraception. I went on the Pill as a student in 1980 and even then I had to endure a walk of shame through the Family Planning Clinic - and that was in Oxford, hardly a provincial backwater. It was a nasty experience.
It's a very interesting article. In the Soviet Union we had only negative review of The Summer of Love in England or, especially in America. And every woman had access to the free abortion. Though we had our Thaw in the arts and literature under influence of West, I think, but it was short lived.
This is a wonderful piece it really makes you think how slowly we have moved, especially when you take a global viewpoint.
Thank you :)
Brilliant Kate, thank you. Even though I was only young, I do recollect the Victoria Gillick campaign. It’s astonishing that, though societal attitudes have come so far, there is still a long way to go.
Thanks, Victoria 😀 I know...it's astonishing. Researching this also made me realise that the Pill was issued widely before the possible dangers were really known, as is so often the case with hormonal treatments.
Thank you for this. Have seen the film of the L shaped room but never read the book. Now I am drawn to.
That’s good to hear, Julie! I haven’t actually seen the film, so would be good to track it down. Although as I wrote, Reid Banks wasn’t very impressed with the changes they made to the story! :)
Ah i see. Many of these authors never are, to be fair :)
Brilliant piece, and The Millstone is one of my favourite novels. It's extraordinary to me how slowly attitudes changed towards giving unmarried women contraception. I went on the Pill as a student in 1980 and even then I had to endure a walk of shame through the Family Planning Clinic - and that was in Oxford, hardly a provincial backwater. It was a nasty experience.
How interesting, Sarah! Thank you for sharing that. I find it amazing that that was still happening in 1980…
It's a very interesting article. In the Soviet Union we had only negative review of The Summer of Love in England or, especially in America. And every woman had access to the free abortion. Though we had our Thaw in the arts and literature under influence of West, I think, but it was short lived.
How interesting, Larisa, that you experienced that from a different viewpoint. Thank you for reading and commenting.
She led a fascinating life, well-funded by the success of her remarkable fiction.
She really did!