Teen Sexual Revolution - Essay Example

Sexual revolution started in the United s in the 1960s and there were many reasons for it. The concept of “free love” as devised by the hippies in the 1960s had its philosophy deep-rooted in human consciousness (Hippy, 1997). It just needed a little encouragement to be evoked and that encouragement was provided in the form of new knowledge about human sexuality. This new knowledge urged the people to reject the conservative ways and embrace individual freedom. According to the PBS (1999) the sexual revolution was based on the concept that women, just like men, had sexual needs and enjoyed sex. The feminists ever asserted that single women too had the same sexual needs and should be allowed the freedom to indulge in it freely. It basically meant female sexual empowerment and the causes were the changing educational and occupational status of women, infidelity and divorce, the erosion of shame and awe in sexual matters, the liberalization of the media, sex education in schools and increasing number of divorced parents (cited by Judge, 1997). According to GLBTQ (2004) the sexual revolution was caused due to three factors that culminated at one point. These included the contribution of the Freudian theories by Wilheim Reich along with empirical sex research by Kinsey; the empowerment of the media which include the pornographers and the writers and thirdly the counter culture movement, the women’s lib movement and the gay and lesbian movements. The cultural revolution of the 1960s and the 1970s was recognized by the mass media almost immediately. Sexual encounters between unmarried adults were common. Since people were getting married at a late age, young men and women had more time to encounter sexual experiences with partners before staring a monogamous relationship. With the Kinsey report in 1948 a new awareness of human sexuality started to spread in America (Hippy, 1997). It opened people’s mind towards the diversity of sexual behavior. This study revealed even at that time that about 10% of the people were gay. This encouraged many more to see homosexuality in a new perspective. It also revealed that nearly everyone masturbates. Discussions on once forbidden topics like vaginal orgasm become common after the publication of the study of Human Sexual Response by Masters & Johnson in 1950s. Social change was evidenced by the frequent indulgence in Viagra, increasing number of sexual harassment suits, abortion, Aids research, and rising divorce statistics (Shere, 1999). Technology contributed to the sexual revolution in many ways. People started getting soul-matey over the phone or the internet and cyber porn magazines were readily available. One such issue carried that the internet will be to the women in the ‘90s what the vibrator was to the women in the ‘70s (Lippert, 1994). Commercials like those of Jordache and Diet Coke used the idea of women watching men through screens and windows. Sex seemed to be the past time or the perfect leisure because as per the Sex in America the median number of sexual partners over an American lifetime was six for men and two for women (cited by Lippert). This was the beginning of the sexual revolution that set the new generation to explore their sexuality in a new and uninhibited way. Rock ‘n Roll music added to the revolution, as it allowed the youth to express their yearnings and forbidden desires, which were previously repressed (Hippy, 1997). Sex and marriage in America had always been regarded as a sacred pair and hence this new awareness took some time to catch up. The Kinsey report demonstrated widespread ignorance and shame about sex due to conservative sexual morality and religious beliefs (GLBTQ, 2004). The report also revealed that women were much more interested in sex that went beyond reproduction. It also dispelled certain myths about women that they had difficulty in reaching orgasm. All these revelations led the baby boomers to explore sex at a very early age. It then became very common for children to experiment with sex. The generation that grew up in the 1960s had an entirely different attitude towards sex than their parents. They used drugs to get ‘turned on’ and guy men and women became expressive openly. Short-lived relationships and live-in relationships were considered normal. “Free love” meant one could love anyone, anytime and everywhere. All taboos were withdrawn even from public places. The contraceptive added to the women being liberated from free sex. Changes in how women dressed added to the situation with mini-skirts, plunging necklines and see-through tops becoming the rage. Women discovered the power to manifest their latent femininity and sexuality. The conservatives attacked this attitude initially but as pre-marital sex became common, the pill became an easy scapegoat for the conservatives (PBS). It was also argued at that time that the pill was in fact responsible for the sexual revolution. Women could now control pregnancy and freely have sex anytime and at any age and with anyone. The societal norms on virginity and marriage were gradually replaced by a celebration of single life and sexual exploration. During the same period the youth started questioning the authority and rejected parents’ values. The notion that a women could not find a husband if she was not a virgin sounded absurd to them. Publishing of pornography and sexually explicit literature became a profitable business which induced the sexual revolution. The motivation of the pornographers created space for sexual speech in the American culture where people were honest about their sexual desires and feelings. The social environment changed with women entering the work place. Women received lower wages, experienced lower upward mobility and had the dual responsibility of work and home. These presented more opportunities for sexual engagements and what was earlier only a temptation soon became an everyday possibility (GLBTQ, 2004). Shere (1999) recounts that sexual politics still make big news. President Clinton was involved with a White House intern, which almost threw him out of office. The sexual revolution led to the Homosexual Civil Rights Movement (GLBTQ). The African-American struggles of the 1960s, and the Stonewall Riots of 1969 crystallized inspired the creation of the civil rights movement. Earlier people used to maintain secrecy about their homosexuality and it was expressed only in a secret or coded way. Cultural resistance to the homosexual norm was expressed through cross-gender performances. Bathhouses and sex clubs provided an easy platform for gay men to create greater opportunities for free sex. What added to the movement was an automobile company like Ford Motor Company donates hundreds of thousands of dollars to homosexual groups, sponsors gay pride parades and holds mandatory diversity training for employees (RA, 2006). In 1995 women made up almost 13 percent of the armed forces in the US. A survey of 50,000 respondents showed that 52% of them had been sexually harassed (Peters, 1997). A confidential crisis line received nearly 4000 calls from women recruits within the first week and out of this 500 was considered serious enough to be referred to the Army Criminal Investigation Command. The men behind these crimes were all decent people operating within a corporate code of values and norms which do not discourage such behavior. The teens were not spared either. Doogie Howser was confronted on a television program because he was still a virgin at 25 (Anderson, 2003). Advance publicity of the program had been done due to which the program drew audience on unanticipated levels. Every one watched Doogie and his girlfriend deal with his “problem” and such programs received excellently high ratings. Three-fourths of all girls have had sex during their teenage years and 15 percent have had four or more partners. More than one million teenage girls in the US become pregnant each year and over half of those that give birth have not reached the age of eighteen. The reasons for such revolution were that sex was used to sell everything – from cars to toothpaste. If teenagers see nearly five hours of television per day then per year they see nearly 14,000 sexual encounters on television alone. Lack of parental supervision and guidance, and working parents left the teens unattended after school. Adolescent boys in the suburbs would huddle together trying to prove their masculinity. Studies also suggest that parents lag behind their children in discussing on issues like sex. Parents also felt embarrassed to discuss it with their children. Even though $3 billion was spent on family planning services, teenage pregnancies and abortions kept rising. Counter revolution started by the religious right whose fundamental goal was to turn back the sexual revolution. New legislation and elected political representatives fought to de-fund the sexually progressive programs and to fund sexually conservative programs (GLBTQ, 2004). The sexual revolution led to sexually transmitted diseases (STD) like gonorrhea, syphilis, genital warts, genital herpes, hepatitis B. AIDS epidemic was discovered in early 1980s among gay men which led to the invention of “safer sex”. In 1982 there were 422 deaths attributed to AIDS and this number increased to 31,000 by 1990 (Hindus, 2006). Before that the gay homosexuals in the US were devastated by the epidemic of AIDS. Anal sex was an effective means of transmission but Americans failed to understand the difference between a disease of homosexuals and the homosexual disease. Over time AIDS became a disease of women and children. AIDS appeared just as the sexual revolution had begun to mature. Judge (1997) gives an insight into the sexual revolution in America mentioning that sexual activity among the American teens has declined since 1970. The divorce culture and the rise of AIDS have caused the youth to look into the romantic models that their grandparents shared. Two federal studies followed by a national survey demonstrated that a teenager should be 18 years old before being sexually active. Thousands also contended that sex should wait for marriage. The new generation is seeing how the baby boomers generation is crumbling and they feel strongly about it. The downward trend in premarital sex or early sex is very insignificant but Judge contends at least it marks the beginning. Despite this trend, half of America’s teenagers still engage in premarital sex, 12,000 are stricken with sexually transmitted diseases each day, and the highest teen pregnancy rate amongst the industrialized nations is in America. The sexual revolution has caused men to forget how to behave with women. Leon Kass, a professor at the University of Chicago says, "The sexual revolution offered people gratification without commitment or responsibility. Suddenly the life style of the Bohemians and hippies became the norm" (cited by Judge, 1997). The culture of divorce has made people skeptical about marriage. Hutchison (2006) contends that as the sexual revolution in America continues in its fourth decade, men are becoming hyper-sexualized and morally desensitized. It has also led to the massive sexual bondage of women. America is yet to witness the widespread sexual slavery for prostitution, apart from polygamy, harems, and concubines. These could enslave a vast number of women than does prostitution. If gay marriages gain victory many other forms of legalized polygamy and legalized prostitution will lead to a culture war. If polygamy becomes legalized millions of women will have to face a sexual dark age. The traditional family system is breaking down, sex is separated from procreation, women publicly flaunt their bodies in indecent apparel, rapes are on the rise, public and private orgies are increasing due to popularity of the gay agenda, and what is worst is that polygamy is being taught by the Muslim and the Mormon cults. These factors are encouraging polygamy. All these have gained a serious foothold because of the sexual revolution. Men have become obsessed with sex and the present situation will continue to deteriorate until traditional marriage with sexual fidelity and sexual restraint is accepted as the universal norm. If this is not contained widespread sexual bondage will lead to sexual Dark Age for women. Sexual respect is essential to improve the status of women. As the sexual status is declining, sexual respect is bound to fall as well. Exposure to pornography through television, movies, magazines and internet has revved up the sexual appetites of teenage boys (Hutchison, 2006). Being more oversexed than the peers is considered to be a matter of pride instated of being ashamed. When sex becomes an obsession it becomes it can affect the mind, body and soul and disrupt the married life. One very strong reason for the breakdown of marriages is the expectations that couples have about sex and the exaggerated appetites. Shamelessness and exhibitionism is a part of the sexual revolution. When John Lennon married Yoko Ono, they were in bed together for many days and even allowed media reporters to interview them while they were still in bed. This was nothing but a sexual marathon that was depicted in the movie as cute and sweet. The sexual revolution has caused a health burden in the American society and it was found that women bear a disproportionately high proportion of the cost that comes with sexual liberation. A study revealed that 1.3 percent of all American deaths are caused by sexual behavior (CLF, 2005). More men than women died in 1998 as a result of sexual behavior and most deaths among men were caused by HIV. The death among women was due to cervical cancer. It is being increasingly realized and accepted that sexual health can only be insured by abstinence until monogamous marriage takes place. Sexual behavior has further led to negative health effects in 7.5 percent of the Americans and about 20 million incidences have been reported. The sexual revolution was actually a cultural revolution as it brought about changes in different aspect of people’s life. Various reasons have been found for the sexual revolution which includes infidelity, women’s liberation movement, the studies made by Kinsey and others, the gay civil rights movement, the media taking advantage of the situation. The sexual revolution affected men, women and the youth. STDs became common and AIDS took the form of an epidemic. Values were lost and people used sex for every thing. It became a health burden for the government as there were rising incidences of sex-related diseases. It appears that there is a very slight decline in sexual activity but it is too insignificant at the moment to conclude that it would actually decline. For a healthy society sex, love, fidelity in marriage, forgiveness, teamwork and mutual faith is essential. Women’s sexuality was redefined and the overall quality of life deteriorated. The sexual revolution has made the youth unsuitable for happy married lives. Hyper-sexualization and bondage of women is the result of the sexual revolution that plagued the American society in the 1970s. Sexual revolution is contrary to nature and to the design of God. It is against the conscience of human beings and they too do feel about it at some point in life. It is only for them to become conscious of it and consciously awaken themselves to the reality, to the sorrows that could worsen the situation. The sexual and gender roles have changed permanently in America even if counter revolution has started. Reference: Anderson, K. (2003). The Teen Sexual Revolution. Available from URL: http://www.leaderu.com/orgs/probe/docs/sexrevol.html [accessed 23 April 2008] CLF (2005). Study Shows Americas Sexual Behavior To Be Highly Lethal. Available from URL: http://www.familyhonor.org/research/american_sexual_behavior.html [accessed 23 April 2008] GLBTQ (2004). The Sexual Revolution, 1960-1980. Available from URL: http://www.glbtq.com/social-sciences/sexual_revolution.html [accessed 23 April 2008] Hippy (1997). A Trip Through the Sixties - The Sexual Revolution. Available from URL: http://www.hippy.com/article-223.html [accessed 23 April 2008] Hindus, L. A. (2006). Transparency in the age of AIDS: the reality and mythology of a disease. Journal of Management Development Vol. 25 No. 10, 2006 pp. 996-1003 Huchison, F. (2006). The sexual bondage of women. Available from URL: http://www.renewamerica.us/columns/hutchison/060711 [accessed 23 April 2008] Judge, M. G. (1997). Americas sexual right turn - end of sexual revolution. Available from URL: http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1571/is_n20_v13/ai_19463145 [accessed 23 April 2008] Lippert, b. (1994). Fire and Ice. Brandweek; Nov 7, 1994; 35, 43; ABI/INFORM Global pg. SS4 PBS (1999). People & Events: The Pill and the Sexual Revolution. Available from URL: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/pill/peopleevents/e_revolution.html [accessed 23 April 2008] Peters, J. (1997). Nice guys finish first: how – and why – to apply TQ disciplines to social responsibility issues. The TQM Magazine Volume 9 · Number 3 · 1997 · pp. 176–182 RA (2006). Ford Motor Company: where the profits go! Available from URL: http://www.restoringamerica.org/SexualRevolution/index.htm [accessed 23 April 2008] Shere, H. (1999). Perspectives. Financial Times. London (UK): Feb 6, 1999. pg. 05 Accessed April 24, 2008, from ABI/INFORM Global database. (Document ID: 38764035). Read More