The Impact of the Sexual Revolution on Choices Related to Sex

1822 Words4 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Women's gender role in the 1960s

In the study and discovery of human life and development, the inquiry of sexual development and behavior has greatly changed and impacted the course of human history. Human sexuality refers to “sex, gender identities and roles, sexual orientation, eroticism, pleasure, intimacy and reproduction. It is experienced and expressed in thoughts, fantasies, desires, beliefs, attitudes, values, behaviors, practices, roles and relationships.” (WHO, 2006a) The major shift towards human sexuality in America began in the 1960’s, and continued strongly throughout till the 1980’s; this specific period of time has been referred to as the American Sexual Revolution. The sexual revolution was brought about through the fluctuation of the American environment; World War 2, psychological and technological advances gave way to the shift in values, attitudes and beliefs towards human sexuality which has influenced, changed and shaped American culture in terms of choices related to sex, sexual expression, sexual orientation, celibacy and tolerance in diverse ways.

Some of what the revolution itself encompassed were biological and social issues related to gender (specifically women), psychological research in areas of marriage, sex and sexual orientation, economic opportunities in media (specifically the entrepreneurship of pornography). Political issues related to abortion and common law marriages, the emergences of sub-cultures (hippies), sexual literature in books and novels and religious impediments such as the increase in adultery and fornication. Several after effects both positive and negative and still be seen and felt in today’s society even with the revolution's dissolution in the 1980’s. The more controversial and big name headline topics and...

... middle of paper ...

...ican Women. New York: Harper Collins.

Deep Throat (1972). Deep Throat the Movie. Retrieved from http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0068468/

Defining Sexual Health. Retrieved from http://www.who.int/reproductivehealth/topics/sexual_health/sh_definitions/en/

Friedan, B. (1963). The Feminist Mystique. New York: W.W. Norton Company

Griffin, S. (2014). Cinema after the Sexual Revolution. Film Reference. Retrieved from http://www.filmreference.com/encyclopedia/Romantic-Comedy-Yugoslavia/Sexuality-CINEMA-AFTER-THE-SEXUAL-REVOLUTION.html

Linker, D. (2014). America’s Love/ Hate Relationship with porn. The Week. Retrieved from http://theweek.com/article/index/257833/americarsquos-love-hate-relationship-with-porn

Wilcox, B. (2009). The Evolution of Divorce. National Affairs, 3.Retrived from http://www.nationalaffairs.com/publications/detail/the-evolution-of-divorce

Show More
Related

  • Eros Live in New York

    2904 Words  | 6 Pages

    At the beginning of the 1900s, there was a “sexual revolution” in New York City. During this time, sexual acts and desires were not hidden, but instead they were openl...

    Read More

  • Naked Lunch: Comparisons of Documentaries Super Size Me and Forks Over Knives

    1402 Words  | 3 Pages

    Not a Love Story: A Film About Pornography. Dir. Bonnie Sherr Klein. Perf. Lindalee Tracey,

    Read More

  • The Revolution of The Young People: John Updike

    1191 Words  | 3 Pages

    ... Through “A&P”, John Updike has told of a coming revolution, where the establishments of authority will have to defend each and every rule and regulation that they have put in place. He tells of a revolution where this young generation will break sex from its palace of sanctity. Every single idea that was present in American society that led to the sex driven, often naïve, free spiritedness of the sixties to present day are present in John Updike’s “A&P”.

    Read More

  • Critical Analysis Of An Anthropological Look At Human Sexuality

    1241 Words  | 3 Pages

    In the article “An Anthropological Look at Human Sexuality” the authors, Patrick Gray and Linda Wolfe speak about how societies look at human sexuality. The core concept of anthology is the idea of culture, the systems of attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors people acquire as a member of society. The authors give an in depth analysis on how human sexuality is looked at in all different situations.

    Read More

  • My Antonia Essay: The Role of Women

    2160 Words  | 5 Pages

    Mosse, George. Nationalism and Sexuality: Respectability and Abnormal Sexuality in Modern Europe. New York: Howard Fertig, Inc., 1985.

    Read More

  • Comparison of Metropolis and Blade Runner

    1551 Words  | 4 Pages

    Bordwell Thomson, David. “Sex in Science Fiction Films: Romance or Enginnering?”. (New York: BFI Publishing, 1984)

    Read More

  • A History of Sexuality

    1957 Words  | 4 Pages

    Halperin, David. "Is There a History of Sexuality?." The Lesbian and Gay Studies Reader. Ed. Henry

    Read More

  • Legalizing Prostitution

    2503 Words  | 6 Pages

    Milstein, Susan A. Taking Sides Clashing Views in Human Sexuality. Ed. William J. Taverner and Ryan W. McKee. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2009. Print.

    Read More

  • Sexual Revolution

    1099 Words  | 3 Pages

    Looking at our past, there have been dramatic changes in the way humans view sex. Long before the 1900s individuals framed their views based on the religious institution. Due to the fact that they strongly centered their idea of sexual thought on religion, they believed that the only purpose of having sex was to procreate. As the 1920’s approached, there were various factors that changed the way individuals viewed sex. The “new women” known, as flappers were women who were confident in who they were. They changed their attire as well as their social attitude. In the 1920s, the flappers redefined sex; customs and traditions were broken and new norms were created by society.

    Read More

  • Representation Of Homosexuality In Hollywood Cinema

    1950 Words  | 4 Pages

    Early Hollywood cinema and the average American citizen of the time looked at the taboo topic of homosexuality from the same point of view. This viewpoint conveyed was that homosexuality was immoral; therefore it was made illegal to partake in any homosexual acts. Moreover, before the decade of the 1960s, in the laws of sodomy, there was a law that prohibited sexual contact between people of the same sex. Therefore homosexuality was seen as a crime punishable by law. An example of this would be………………………….

    Read More

  • Summary Of Laura Mulvey's 'Visual Pleasure And Narrative Cinema'

    1072 Words  | 3 Pages

    In Laura Mulvey’s article “Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema” she uses the concept of scopophilia, or pleasure obtained through looking at things, to discuss the portrayal of women in film as passive sexual objects, while inferring that it is the active male “gaze” that objectifies them. Mulvey’s ideas are extremely relevant to Stanley Kubrick’s final film Eyes Wide Shut, in which the themes of sexuality and voyeurism are abundant. The gender roles are very clearly defined in Eyes Wide Shut. The men control the “gaze” and obtain scopophilic pleasure by looking at women. The women, on the other hand, are all presented as highly sexualized objects, or things that exist simply to be looked at. Furthermore, when they do have

    Read More

  • Analysis of The Transformation of Intimacy by Anthony Giddens

    792 Words  | 2 Pages

    ... decades ago. This book is one that will allow the reader to view many aspects of sexuality from a social standpoint, and apply it to certain social attitudes in our society today, these attitudes can range from the acceptance of lesbian and gays, and the common sight of sex before marriage and women equality. The new era of sexuality has taken a definite "transformation" as Giddens puts it, and as a society we are living in the world of change in which we must adapt, by accepting our society as a changing society, and not be naive and think all the rules of sexuality from our parents time our still in existence now.

    Read More

  • Arguments Against Sex Workers

    964 Words  | 2 Pages

    During the 70’s and 80’s, the primary topics in feminist discussion on women’s sexuality were that of pornography, sex work, and human trafficking. This led to the need of the enlistment for sex worker rights in America. Around the 80’s, pornography was a prominent argument among feminists campaigning for women’s rights. The feminists involved held contrasting views on how to eliminate sexual violence against women, and the feminists involved were either classified as liberal or radical. The final group of feminists described as “pro-sex”, views are considered the true feminist defense of

    Read More

  • The Pros And Cons Of Directive Sex Education

    1068 Words  | 3 Pages

    Sexual remarks can be seen and heard everywhere in today’s society. Music, television, movies, and magazines are resources that can easily corrupt and be discovered by children through a push of a button. A child mind and body is consistently developing every day. Abstinence-only programs tell students to not have sex, but their body becomes curious as it develops. There are many people we object to giving directive sex education to young children because it can simply corrupt the young minds and are not the key to preventing sex between young adults. Family and Youth Concern director, Robert Whelan, states that people make claims of the benefits of comprehensive sex education, but the main determinant are family background and structure (Cornell, 2003). Comprehensive sex education programs are needed in school curriculum because it helps young adults mature appropriately through all the exposure. The study done by Kirby in Whitehead’s (1994) article states, “Once patterns of sexual intercourse and usage of contraception are established, they may be difficult to change.” Henceforth, it is important to educate young adults through the comprehensive sex education program at school. In Tobin’s (2001) excerpt, he states that children already began having sexual urges at a young age. As Freud has shown in his theories, adolescents must complete different stages throughout their childhood to avoid any fixation. Instead of repressing these sexual urges, the Nursery School Education (1939); by Wheeler and Earl; suggest that active curiosity to sex should be met with honesty. Any sexual fixation shown in the adult life can be traced back to the repression of the child’s curiosity (Tobin, 2001). Moreover, children can easily be scarred and fearful of their curiosity. The Nursery School Guide (1949) states that children who are yelled at for soiling or masturbating deem

    Read More

  • The Meaning of Sexuality in Today's Society

    1339 Words  | 3 Pages

    In today’s society things are being expressed and experienced at younger ages, than ever before in our time. Children and teenagers are discovering their sexuality at very early ages. Sexuality is the discovering of who you are and what makes you different from everybody else.

    Read More

More about The Impact of the Sexual Revolution on Choices Related to Sex

Open Document