Today's same-sex marriage debate

"In the absence of any mass popular movement committed to radical transformation of sexual values, the reforming efforts of the more advanced feminists and socialists were concentrated in the single issue campaigns that emerged at the turn of the century [circa 1800]. They were, inevitably, constrained by their limited nature, and by the conservatism of their constituency. Socialists, of course, were in a difficult, almost contradictory position. As socialists they believed that sexual change could only truly come in the process of social transformation. But without work now, there would be no guarantee that social transformation would bring the sexual revolution. Later generations... were to attempt to argue that sexual repression was a key to general social reaction. None of the early sex radicals held to this position... and in its absence, as good, humanistic reformers, they naturally concentrated their efforts on what could be attained.

"The nineteenth century, the great age of single-issue pressure groups, saw the development of a number of organizations committed to moral reformation, but until the latter years of the century none saw it as their task to advocate radical sex reform in any manner which would be recognizably modern....

"The Legitimation League, founded in 1897 to campaign for changing the bastardy laws and for reform of marriage and divorce legislation, was therefore an organization of a new sort. It published 'The Adult,' as a monthly journal for 'The Advancement of Freedom in Sexual Relationships,' and in its first editorial offered to provide a forum for the discussion of sex questions ignored elsewhere: 'We recognize the paramount right of the individual to self-realization in all non-invasive directions. The Adult advocates the absolute freedom of two individuals of full age, to enter into and conclude at will, any mutual relationships whatever, where no third person's interests are concerned.'

"George Bernard Shaw was typically scathing, complaining that they were 'extremely conventional, working for the legitimation of the illegitimate instead of the illegitimation of the legitimate, which is the true line of progress.'"

SOURCE: Jeffrey Weeks, "Sex, Politics and Society: The Regulation of Sexuality Since 1800" (published 1981).