My grandma and I were talking about the concept of marital rape today, and it made me realize how much we owe to the feminist movement and the fight for women's rights.
She told me that when she was young, a woman literally had no say over her own body once she married. The moment you signed that license, you belonged to your husband. If he wanted to do it, you had to submit, no matter how tired, sick, or unwilling you were. There was no word for it, no law against it, and absolutely no support if you said no. It was just considered a wife's duty.
It was a heavy reminder of how hard women had to fight just to legally own their own bodies. For generations, women quietly endured violations in their own beds because the law refused to protect them.
Hearing her speak about the modern concept of consent with such genuine relief made me realize how vital female autonomy is.
Marriage is not a contract that signs away your rights, and your body is always your own.