Sexual Revolution Assumes That it

¶ … sexual revolution assumes that it was the decade of the 1960's that marked the onset of its occurrence. Even though it is believed that the sexual revolution occurred in the 60's, there is a lively debate among academics and others interested in the subject as to whether there ever was a sexual revolution. Some believe that the actual revolution occurred much earlier in the 1920's and that what occurred in the 60's was just a reaction to what actually took place in the 20's. Others believe that the supposed sexual revolution was merely one of several social revolutions that occurred in the turbulent 60's decade (Smith). Regardless of whether or not a sexual revolution actually occurred, most people believe that it did so for purposes of argument it will be assumed that it did.

The 1960's were a time of profound change (Allen). Throughout all of Western Europe and the United States there were changes occurring everywhere. Whether it was hairstyles, clothing, suburban life, or family structure change was a part of everyone's life and the changes that occurred in the 60's were radical. Entering the decade, married couples were expected to be monogamous and to be fruitful by reproducing as frequently as possible. Large families were the order of the day. Contraception was illegal and so was abortion. Contraception clinics were just beginning to be organized and their principal clients were married couples. The most common contraceptive was the use of a condom, followed closely by withdrawal and douching. Asking an unmarried woman about their sex lives was deemed unthinkable. Masturbation was considered self-abuse and homosexuality was rarely, if ever, discussed and considered by nearly everyone as unnatural, immoral, and likely a sign of deep seeded psychological problems (Christensen).

The change that occurred in the 1960's was so profound that midway through the following decade the sexual attitudes throughout the world had changed almost completely. Contraception was now legal for not only unwed mothers but also for teenagers and available even over the counter. Ads appeared on a regular basis in the most prestigious publications advertising contraception products with the products themselves being available in grocery stores. Abortion had become legal in all jurisdictions and the stigma attached to unwed motherhood had been nearly eradicated.

These changes reflect why the decade of the 1960's must be considered a revolution. The changes that occurred called into question taken-for-granted ideas regarding gender and sexuality and they also called into question the relationships between men and women. For the most part, by the end of the 60's men and women were virtually equal in at least one respect: they were both free to conduct their sex lives in much the same way and the law and social policy supported them doing so.

Because of the changes that occurred in the 60's, sex became possible for women in the same way that it had been available for men for centuries. With contraception widely available and abortion now available as a backup, sex for pleasure became possible and the fact that culture was supportive of the concept made it even more acceptable.

Attitudes toward other aspects of sexuality also changed during the 60's. Pre-marital sex was no longer viewed as being immoral. Nudity in magazines was more highly accepted and attitudes toward the acceptance of abortion as viable choice for ending unwanted pregnancies were far more favorable.

Traditionally, changes in attitudes on subjects such as sex do not change rapidly (Crano). Society as a whole tends to be conservative regarding change, yet, in just ten short years attitudes regarding sex had been transformed radically.

One of the signs that sexual attitudes were beginning to change occurred in early in the 1950's. Two Swedish filmmakers, Ingmar Bergman and Vilgot Sjoman produced a series of sexually explicit films that challenged the conservative international standards in regard to depicting sex onscreen (Andersson). In these films, the characters spoke openly about sexual matters but, more significantly, open nudity was displayed which violated the decency standards then in existence in nearly every country in the world. These films caused an outpouring of debate regarding not only the role of sex and nudity in the movie industry it also sparked open debate about sex in general. As a direct result of these films, the popular notion developed that Swedish society had a liberal attitude about sexual matters while, in actuality, at the time Sweden was experiencing a period of relative conservatism. Nevertheless, the door had been opened and within the next twenty years the movement that had begun in Sweden had spread to the rest of Europe and to the United States as well.

Whether the 60's was the period of a sexual revolution or just a period of profound change in society is subject to debate. A clear answer will likely never be known. Once the 60's had ended, most individuals were no longer following inherited customs but were deciding for themselves what was proper in the way of their own sex lives. Individuals were now provided with alternatives that did not exist prior to the changes of the 60's.

The sexual revolution of the 60's was a change not only in the way that individuals acted but also in how they thought. Prior to the 60's certain sexual practices were considered immoral and often illegal. Additionally, the mere thinking of such actions was considered equally immoral. With the changes of the 1960's this all changed. It was no longer immoral to use contraception. It was no longer immoral to get an abortion. It was no longer immoral to view nude photos. Most importantly, individuals no longer had to feel guilty about using contraception, about considering abortion as an option, or fantasizing about nudity. The revolution of the 60's was complete because it changed not only how society acted in regard to sexual matters it also changed how society thought about sex.