Dr. Hilarion M. Henares, Jr. has proposed the theory that the Women’s Liberation Movement "set the stage for the New Morality" (Special Edition, June 14-20).

The problem with this theory is that it is based on a series of wrong dates.

1. Dr. Henares traces the start of the Women’s Liberation Movement to the 1950’s, at which time, he claims, the epithet, "male chauvinist pig," appeared. In fact, the movement did not start until the mid-60’s and the epithet acquired currency slightly afterwards.

2. Dr. Henares says a Women’s Lib was followed by the Kinsey Report on the human male. Even if Women’s Lib started in the late 1950’s per Dr. Henares’ claim, he would still be wrong on the publication date. The Kinsey Report came out in 1948.

3. Dr. Henares asserts that the Kinsey Report was published after the birth control pill was developed. In fact, the first birth control pill, Enavid-10, went on sale in 1960, a full 12 years after the Kinsey report.

The true sequence of events suggests that: (1) the Kinsey Reports led to a re-evaluation of traditional sexual morality; (2) the rejection of traditional sexual morality was not translated into actual behavior until the birth control pill was developed and mass marketed; (3) these changes in sexual behavior set the stage for Women’s Lib. There is some oversimplification here, of course. The change couldn’t have taken place without changes in the economy and technology, e.g., the mass media, and the resulting quality of life.

POLLY HERNANDO