The founding of the discipline of social policy emerged from the practice of state intervention to deal with social problems at the beginning of the twentieth century. The discipline of social policy established itself in the traditions of Fabianism. (Williams, 1989:4) Fabianism was characterised by specific ideas about the family and motherhood. These ideas asserted the family as exemplified by the breadwinner father and dependent wife and children. (ibid, 1989:5) As a result, policies aimed at women were in terms of an emphasis on the needs of women as mothers and dependent wives, rather than as individuals or wage-earners. The maintenance of the family was seen as fundamental to society’s stability. This dominant ideology of ‘familism’ characterised the ‘normal’ or ‘ideal’ family. Households that did not conform to this model were seen as potentially problematic. (ibid, 1989: 7)
Ireland’s social policy is a mixture of legislation laid down by both British and Irish governments. As such, it was heavily influenced by the British Fabian model; this had serious implications for sexuality and the family. The Catholic Church also influenced the development of Irish social policy especially in relation to sexual morality, the family and the position of women in Irish society. (Kiely, 1999:2-3)
Sexuality is commonly viewed as private and personal. As a result, we don’t tend to think about social policy and popular ideas about sexuality as affecting us. However, these ideas about what is appropriate and acceptable sexuality impacts on us all. Ideas about ‘normal’ sexuality abound in society;central to these views is the ideology of heterosexuality, which in turn influences prevalent ideas about sexuality. These prevalent ideologies regarding sexuality come from religious, psycho-analytical and socio-biological traditions, and they influence common-sense and institutional ideas about what is both ‘normal’ and ‘appropriate’ sex and sexuality. For instance, the...