The Man Who Hated Women: A Gilded Age Story of Sex, Censorship, and Civil Liberties
Author and veteran columnist Amy Sohn talks with Harry Siegel about her book, The Man Who Hated Women: Sex, Censorship, and Civil Liberties in the Gilded Age, and explains why the “zombie” Comstock Law still on the federal books kept coming up during 2024’s presidential election.
The Lives of Two Sex Radicals
Sohn details how the lives of two “sex radicals,” Ida Craddock and Sarah Chase, were upended as they crossed paths with Anthony Comstock, the mutton-chopped celebrity behind the New York Society for the Suppression of Vice and self-described “friend of women” who boasted about driving his enemies to suicide.
A Story of Suppression
It’s a story about how the government’s original anti-sex law — suppressing information about birth control as a form of obscenity — created mechanisms used to this day to suppress unpopular thoughts.
The Comstock Law: A Legacy of Suppression
The Comstock Law, passed in 1873, was a federal law that made it a crime to send “obscene, lewd, or lascivious” materials through the mail. This law was used to suppress information about birth control, and it had a lasting impact on American society.
A Legacy of Suppression
The Comstock Law was repealed in 1971, but its legacy lives on. The law created mechanisms for the government to suppress information and ideas that were deemed unpopular or threatening. This legacy can be seen in the way that the government continues to use laws and regulations to suppress information and ideas today.
Conclusion
The story of Anthony Comstock and the Comstock Law is a reminder of the importance of protecting civil liberties and ensuring that the government does not use its power to suppress information and ideas. It is a story that continues to resonate today, and one that serves as a warning about the dangers of government overreach.
FAQs
Q: What was the Comstock Law?
A: The Comstock Law was a federal law passed in 1873 that made it a crime to send “obscene, lewd, or lascivious” materials through the mail.
Q: What was the impact of the Comstock Law?
A: The Comstock Law had a lasting impact on American society, suppressing information about birth control and creating mechanisms for the government to suppress information and ideas.
Q: Why is the Comstock Law still relevant today?
A: The Comstock Law is still relevant today because it created mechanisms for the government to suppress information and ideas that are still used today. It is a reminder of the importance of protecting civil liberties and ensuring that the government does not use its power to suppress information and ideas.