Nationally-recognized Catholic speaker and writer Vicki Thorn will speak at the University of Colorado at Boulder next week on a view of sex not likely discussed in sex education classes.
During the next Aquinas Institute for Catholic Thought’s lecture series 7 p.m. Nov. 6, Thorn will present biological data to question whether the Church’s teaching on sexual morality is outdated or if it has physical, mental and spiritual benefits for men and women.
Thorn is the founder of the post-abortive healing ministry Project Rachel and executive director of the National Office of Post-Abortion Reconciliation and Healing in Wisconsin. She’s conducted extensive research worldwide on the biochemistry of sex, attraction and bonding.
She’s also written and spoken across the world about the sexual revolution’s physical and psychological impact on men and women since the 1960s. She holds a degree in psychology from the University of Minnesota and training in trauma counseling.
According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists more than four out of five women in the United States will use a form of hormonal contraception, including pills, patches, implants or intrauterine devices.
Thorn has spoken extensively about the impact these hormonal forms of contraception have on the body and attraction.
Biologically, contraceptives are intended to stop ovulation in a woman. However, some doses are not strong enough and an embryo may be conceived and later aborted because of a hostile environment.
Hormonal contraceptives also impact chemistry, Thorn argues. Research suggests that the birth control pill changes a women’s pheromone preference. Pheromones are intended to detect whether a man would make a biologically good match. Yet if a woman is contracepting, that may change to a man whose more of a similar match than a complimentary match.
“One speculative reason could be that her body thinks it’s in a pregnant state and now she’s looking for a protector rather than a mate,” Thorn told the Knights of Columbus in an interview. “Whatever the cause, this raises some grave concerns. We are at least three generations into pill usage, affecting the ways partners are attracted to each other.”
The lecture is free and open to the public.
Lecture Series
The next lecture hosted by the Aquinas Institute for Catholic Thought will be given by Vicki Thorn, the founder of the National Office for Post Abortion Reconciliation and Healing, including Project Rachel.
Topic: “The Science of Attraction: A New View on Sex”
When: 7 p.m. Nov. 6
Where: Humanities 250, University of Colorado at Boulder campus, Broadway Street and Baseline Road
Details: 303-443-8383
Cost: free
