The Sexual Revolution

by Stefanie Testa

      The Sexual Revolution was a time in U.S history that is distinguishable by the significant change in sexual liberalism. Though there was prevalent uproar in sexual liberalism in the 1920s, the years prior to 1960 proved to be much more conservative. Even Hollywood implimented a code for moral standards called Hay’s Office. You can already assume that Hugh Hefner’s Playboy was not glowing in the eyes of conservative reformist.These views made it a prevaling occurrence to seize and burn books of any kind of obscene nature. [1] However, in 1960 the Pill is first introduced. This new form of birth control gave women control over their own lives, and allowed sex to no longer be viewed as only a means of procreation. This challenged traditional views of sexuality and marriage. [2] 

      After WWII, GIs returned, moved to suburbs, got married and started a generation known as the Baby Boomers. In a brief period of time, 77 million were born to this generation. As young adults, they grew rebellious of their parent’s conservative views of how they should live. The Free Love Movement protested against marriage and wanted the government to be separated from sexual matters. With this movement, homosexuality became more accepted. The Gay Liberation Front fought for sexual liberalism for all people. [3]

In 1967, the Sexual Revolution was in full swing. In San Francisco, a protest broke out because California banned LSD. Thousands flocked the streets of Haight and Asbury, where there was a psychedelic market of marijuana and LSD, and this became known as the “summer of love.” [4]
There, a new hippie culture began. People started wearing flowers in their hair, dressing how ever they wanted, and having sex with whoever they wanted. The music, the sex, the drugs were all a part of the experience. Some stated that sex on LSD was an enthralling, whole body experience that could not be match. [5] When the summer of ’69 ended, the streets of Haight and Asbury were left with major drug problems and high crime rates. [6]

Throughout the United States, we saw more and more people expressing their sexual liberalism in music, media, and theatre. In fact, the Living Theatre, based in New York, was an experimental threatre group that expressed their messages about our heirachal society with nude interpretations. [7] Other media outlets, like film, became more engrossed with sex and now pornography was easier to get than ever before. With the creation of the VHS, people now rented porn and took it home to watch. [8]

In conclusion, the Sexual Revolution of the 1960s and 1970s changed American life for the long haul. People married later and fertility rates dropped profoundly. Because of the liberalization of laws, we saw a high increase in divorce rates. During this time, it jumped by 90 percent. [9] All of these things were very significant changes to the traditional family. 

¹ Moore, Crystal. “Redrawing Boundaries”. Lecture. History of Sexuality. University of North Carolina at Charlotte, NC, April 22 , 2014.

² Cohen, Nancy. "How the Sexual Revolution Changed America Forever." Alternet. http://www.alternet.org/story/153969/how_the_sexual_revolution_changed_america_forever (accessed April 29, 2014).

³ Sex in '69: Sexual Revolution in America. Film. Lawrenceville, NJ: Films Media Group ; History Channel, 1990.

⁴ Moore, Crystal. “The Sexualized Society”. Lecture. History of Sexuality. University of North Carolina at Charlotte, NC, April 24, 2014.

⁵ Sex in '69: Sexual Revolution in America. Film. Lawrenceville, NJ: Films Media Group ; History Channel, 1990.

⁶ Moore, Crystal. “The Sexualized Society”. Lecture. History of Sexuality. University of North Carolina at Charlotte, NC, April 24, 2014.

⁷ Sex in '69: Sexual Revolution in America. Film. Lawrenceville, NJ: Films Media Group ; History Channel, 1990.

⁸ Moore, Crystal. “The Sexualized Society”. Lecture. History of Sexuality. University of North Carolina at Charlotte, NC, April 24, 2014.

⁹ Moore, Crystal. “The Sexualized Society”. Lecture. History of Sexuality. University of North Carolina at Charlotte, NC, April 24, 2014.