What Shall we do? by Leo Tolstoy

As it is said in the Bible, there is a law given unto man and woman, -- to man, the law of labour; to woman, the law of child-bearing. Although with our science, "_nous avons changé tout ca_," the law of man as well as of woman remains as immutable as the liver in its place; and the breach of it is inevitably punished by death. The only difference is, that for man, the breach of law is punished by death in such a near future that it can almost be called present; but for woman, the breach of law is punished in a more distant future.

A general breach, by all men, of the law, destroys men immediately: the breach by women destroys the men of the following generation. The evasion of the law by a few men and women does not destroy the human race, but deprives the offender of rational human nature.