At a recent event, JD Vance, who is a prominent political figure and author, stirred the pot by discussing the impact of divorce on children following the sexual revolution of the 1960s. His remarks have ignited debates about the delicate balance between personal happiness and family stability. Vance’s views challenge conventional wisdom, prompting us to reconsider the implications of divorce on the younger generation.
During his speech at a private Newport Beach high school in 2021, Vance illustrated how he believes societal changes have shaped the modern understanding of marriage and family life. He argued that children suffer when their parents divorce, even in unhappy or violent unions, suggesting that the consequences extend beyond parental happiness.
Vance’s reflections are rooted in his personal experiences and the turbulent family dynamics he witnessed growing up. His statements have not only sparked discussions among political circles but also resonated with families grappling with similar issues. As we delve into Vance’s perspectives, it’s essential to explore the broader implications of his assertions on marriage, divorce, and child welfare.
At a 2021 event hosted by a private Newport Beach high school, future Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance said that after the sexual revolution of the 1960s, children suffered when their parents divorced, even when the marriages were unhappy or “maybe even violent.”
Vance, the author of the 2016 bestselling memoir “Hillbilly Elegy,” told the crowd at the Orange County event that his grandparents did not divorce despite an “incredibly chaotic marriage in a lot of ways,” and said that some couples now see marriage as a “a basic contract, like any other business deal.”
“This is one of the great tricks that I think the sexual revolution pulled on the American populace,” Vance said. “Which is this idea that like, well, OK, these marriages were fundamentally — you know, they were maybe even violent, but certainly they were unhappy. And so getting rid of them, and making it easier for people to shift spouses like they change their underwear, that’s going to make people happier in the long term.”
He added: “And maybe it worked out for the moms and dads, though I’m skeptical. But it really didn’t work out for the kids of those marriages. And I think that’s what all of us should be honest about. We’ve run this experiment in real time and what we have is a lot of very, very real family dysfunction that’s making our kids unhappy.”
