Helio Gracie, the father of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, held views on women and reproduction that were as unorthodox as his techniques. In a candid interview with Playboy magazine back in the day, Gracie shared his unconventional beliefs about the purpose of women and sexual relationships.
Sex for Procreation Only
Gracie’s stance on sexual relationships was clear and unwavering: sex should be solely for the purpose of reproduction. He proudly stated, “I can say that I’ve never had sex with a woman without the purpose of reproduction.” This philosophy extended beyond his personal life, as he claimed to have instilled these values in his sons and grandsons.
Despite his celebrity status and the attention it brought from young women, Gracie maintained strict self-control. He would engage in light romantic activities but draw the line at anything more intimate unless procreation was the goal. His strategy for deterring eager suitors? Asking them point-blank if they wanted to bear his children.
Women’s Purpose: Motherhood
Gracie’s views on the role of women were equally controversial. He believed that a woman’s primary purpose was to bear children. This belief was so strong that he expressed disdain for his sister’s choice to become a nun, stating he “would have preferred that she had been a bum” if it meant fulfilling what he saw as her natural duty.
In Gracie’s worldview, a woman “with breasts, ovaries, who was born normally, should have children. Not to do it goes against nature.” This perspective reduced women’s value to their reproductive capabilities, dismissing other life choices or aspirations.
Selective Breeding and Unconventional Practices
The Gracie family’s approach to reproduction and child-rearing went beyond mere philosophy. According to Rickson Gracie’s book, Helio engaged in a secret family plan to have children with their African Brazilian babysitter, believing in her “superior fighting genes.” This practice, reminiscent of eugenics, was reportedly carried out with his wife’s consent and involved elaborate deception to maintain appearances.
A Life of Restraint?
Despite his focus on procreation, Gracie claimed to have had relationships with only ten women throughout his life. He saw this as a testament to his self-control, given his status and opportunities. However, he also mentioned instances of prolonged sexual activity when trying to conceive, showing that his abstinence had limits.
Gracie’s views extended to contraception as well. He vehemently opposed the use of condoms, stating he would “rather die” than use one, a belief he supposedly passed on to his children.
Full excerpt:
PLAYBOY: Going to a more agreeable subject, is jiu-jitsu favorable to sex?
HELIO: I can say that I’ve never had sex with a woman without the purpose of reproduction. I also taught that to my sons and various grand-sons. Never were fags When I was younger I could have had a big succession of women, I was considered a national celebrity, and all young girls were interested in me. I would give them a little kiss, a hug, go around with them but I wouldn’t go too far. I always had will power.. When they wanted to get more heavy, I would quickly ask them if they wanted to have my children, because for me that was all I wanted were children. That stopped them right away [laughs].
PLAYBOY: Do you think sex is bad?
HELIO: I have nothing but approval for sex and love between two people who want to do it.. But sex for the sake of sex is an unnecessary expenditure of energy. The worst things is to have sex without fulfilling nature’s purpose. In other words, sex is the instrument of procreation. I had a sister who was a nun [Mary, 85 years old] who lived in the Congregation of Our Lady of Sion, in São Paulo. That infuriated me. I would have preferred that she had been a bum. To complete her mission on earth as a women. What does it serve to be a virgin? A women with breasts, ovaries, who was born normally, should have children. Not to do it goes against nature.
PLAYBOY: How many times have you had sex in your life?
HELIO: [Pauses]. Look, I was a world champion who did it only a little. In my estimation, I could have had sex with all of the women in Brazil. But I never had relations with more than 10 women. And I only did it with women who accepted the idea of having children.
PLAYBOY: So, according to your account, if you have nine sons, you did it a little more than nine times.
HELIO: It wasn’t like that either. There were times when I did it all night long, because God didn’t cooperate. So I did it as many times as I wanted until [she] became pregnant, or when she requested it. I proved best my abstinence by the number of women I had sex with. There were ten women in total in my life. That was my merit. I had 30 girlfriends, but I didn’t give a kiss here a kiss there.
PLAYBOY: So to check, then did you depend on condoms?
HELIO: [Emphatically]. My God! I never used condoms. There is no women in the world with whom I would ever use condoms. Not even if she was the last women on earth. I would rather die without doing it. My kids also don’t use them and I have 28 grandkids.
