Technological Change, Sexuality, and Family Futures Planning

Planning for both future social, scientific and medical research and for the challenges and changes we will confront as a result of sexological research and reproductive/contraceptive tech-nology requires consideration of four areas of special concern: (1) contraception, (2) reproductive technologies, (3) gender differences, and (4) sexual relationships. In each of these four areas examples are provided illustrating the political, activist, and religous uses and abuses of data to promote partisan views and agendas. Planning for a more humane future requires continual, skeptical, careful, and open dialogue because it will often be impossible to anticipate or define the problems in advance, and weigh the likely costs and benefits of individual and societal options.