Swinging and the Sexual Liberation Myth

It's tempting to think that we live in sexually liberated and progressive times (at least as far as western Europe is concerned) but it doesn't take much to prick this myth.  The North East newspaper, Sunderland Echo reports this evening on plans to open a swingers club in the city.  Have they turned to one of the numerous academics in the city who might have welcomed the move?  No.  They turned to a Catholic Priest for comment who (much surprise all round) thinks it's a terrible time.  Yes, a man who is celibate thinks sex is a bad thing.

The paper stated that: 'Father Chris Jackson, parish priest of Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Church, in Penshaw, said: “Our society is broken, sick. That’s what people said after the riots. “To mend and heal society we need to find ways of making families stronger. “That’s why a ‘swingers’ club’ is the last thing Sunderland needs. “You can kid yourself that this is just a bit of fun for consenting adults. There lies the danger – sex is one of God’s good gifts to us in marriage. “Making it trivial or using it to make money is part of the attack on marriage and family life.”'

Seriously? This is twenty first century journalism?  The paper also randomly states:

'Whilst brothels are illegal, there is no suggestion sex is being sold at Secrets, which is why it is not breaking the law.'

Why? Nobody mentioned brothels except the Echo in this paragraph.  This sort of smearing journalism is grim indeed.  There are arguments for and against swingers but this is not even an attempt to address the complex issues - it's instead a piece that wouldn't have looked out of place in a paper 100 hundred years ago.

Read the full story here.

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