Traditions are experiments that worked, according to Louise Perry. Speaking at the Alliance for Responsible Citizenship conference, Perry argued that the undermining of traditional ethics in the sexual revolution brings more harm than good, with children being the greatest “losers”. She stated that while the rejection of traditional sexual norms is at the core of the sexual revolution, it was traditions that were the “experiments that worked”. Perry, the director of The Other Half, a London-based feminist think tank, emphasized that rejecting the sexual norms of the past has resulted in negative consequences, particularly for children who suffer from high rates of fatherlessness.
Mary Harrington, a British columnist and author of the book Feminism Against Progress, echoed Perry’s sentiments. She argued that technological development has laid the foundation for an “illusion” where people try to escape traditional sexual norms by erasing the fundamental differences between the sexes. Harrington compared this process to a “transhumanist revolution”. She explained that the sexual revolution represents the turning point when technological advancements were directed inward to the human body, thus making it a transhumanist revolution. While technological advances may seem to provide increased freedom in gender relations, Harrington cautioned that they do not necessarily lead to human flourishing. She challenged the audience to question what is meant by “progress” and to consider the downsides and costs associated with the sexual revolution and the transhumanist revolution.
Both Perry and Harrington emphasized the importance of reconsidering the impact of rejecting traditional ethics and utilizing technology for the betterment of human flourishing. They argued for the need to reorder technological advancements to prioritize human well-being over individual liberties.