Your closest sibling was just sent to jail for being identified as a part of the 23% of America's population who consider themselves as “gay” or “lesbian” (Gallup, Inc). Fortunately, that never happened as this would not occur in today’s time, but fifty years ago this was the American culture. Gay rights was just one of the many issues that the Sexual Revolution addressed and fought for along with women’s rights and religious freedom. The 1960’s wasn’t considered a success due to the sexual freedom it brought for the country, but it was because it brought so much more than that. The Sexual Revolution made an enormous impact that reshaped society and further benefited the United States due to the new beliefs created, the movement for homosexuals, and new rights given to women.
I. Background
The Sexual Revolution took place in the mid 20th century, peaking in the 1960s to 1970s. This liberal fight for change included a variety of topics, ranging from the social attitudes of sexual orientation and women’s rights to the questioning of moral beliefs spiraled from different cultures and religions. The feminist movement was arguably one of the most important events that occurred during this period as it made revolutionary changes to American society today, such as the Pill. The pill, otherwise known as birth control, was invented and legally approved to be used in the US in 1960, which fueled the start to the Sexual Revolution, more specifically the feminist movement (The Pill). This was the beginning of women’s rights, allowing them to have more sexual freedom like men. This eventually led to a series of events, including protests and riots, that led to more freedom for women such as premarital sex and sexual orientation. As for sexual orientation, the Sexual Revolution made huge impacts on gay rights as well. As the American society was generally against homosexuals at this time, it was very difficult for gay people to cope with the harsh realities of society. In fact, many of them were jailed for having mental disabilities (Gallup, inc). This caused many protests that spread through the country, fighting for gay rights that still impact society today. Sexual freedom was something that was foreign in the mid 20th century, and the Sexual revolution allowed people to challenge their politics and question their traditional sexual roles (The Roots).
I. Argument
The Sexual Revolution was a vital time in history as it created many new beliefs as well as different perspectives on American society. These cultural and religious viewpoints developed due to the many changes that occurred during this time period. Some of these many changes included the right for safe abortions, usage of birth control contraceptives, and simply engaging in sexual activity leisurely (Misachi). However, this new way of life clashed with the traditional religious beliefs that stood for centuries in America. Many religious bodies, specifically churches, were extremely against the Sexual Revolution as it contradicted the values of Christianity. One of the main values cherished in Christianity during the 1960’s was chastity, which is the act of refraining from extramarital sexual intercourse. Most people before this time would honor their religious beliefs by maintaining abstinent until marriage (The Church). This idea, however, gradually yet rapidly became the minority throughout the decade of the Sexual Revolution as sexual liberation spread across the country. The rate of this new trend easily outweighed those who believed in the importance of chastity, and this new culture eventually became known as typical. This was especially revolutionary as it moderated the extremity of religion and gave the people much more freedom, both sexually and religiously. Many western churches and other religious bodies began to accept the idea of premarital sex, and created the “let-and-let-live” approach as a new respected value, teaching to tolerate the decisions of others in order to be tolerated by others (Misachi). The religious changes that steered away from tradition during the Sexual Revolution left a legacy that still strongly impacts American society today.
Not only did the Sexual Revolution affect and and change the general beliefs of the country, but it was especially profound for its impacts on a topic that was typically unheard of and avoided in the 1960’s: gay rights. Sexuality was a rare and odd topic prior to the revolution as it was never questioned; society simply expected all women to be attracted to men, and all men to be attracted to women. Homosexuality was never viewed in a positive or respectful manner, and this was partially due to the strong religious beliefs that didn’t allow the many people in the population to publicly show their true selves. Those who did have the nerves to classify themselves as non heterosexual were typically considered mentally ill and thrown into the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender community, also known as the LGBT community for having a psychological condition (Gallup, Inc). However, the Sexual Revolution offered the opportunity to fight for the rights of the LGBT community. Many of these protests were seen in social media back in the day, which included the popular and uprising Playboy magazine, founded by the LGBT community advocate Hugh Hefner. Hefner strongly believed in gay rights as a crucial part of civil rights in general, writing: “If it was wrong to persecute heterosexuals in a homosexual society, then the reverse was wrong, too” (Hawkins). He voiced his opinions though his popular magazines, promoting gay rights and exposing photos sexualizing the topic to the public, which was something never done before and greatly changed the views of Americans. Although Hugh Hefner made tremendous impacts on the topic of gay rights, the fight was nowhere near over yet. In the late 1960’s, Stonewall riots became popular, which were a series of violent uprisings by the LGBT community against the police as a form of protest. These riots were successful in leading up to the Gay Liberation Movement of 1969 (The Roots). This movement was monumental as it, for the first time, allowed the LGBT community to transform the societal shame of their sexuality into pride. These views were ultimately accepted into American culture, and further affected the country up until today, where action for gay rights is still prevalent.
The Sexual Revolution provided many opportunities to finally steer away from the many centuries of rigid tradition, and the roles of women were by far arguably one of the most revolutionary change in society. Due to the strong religious beliefs as well as simply American society, women were generally not given as much power and say as men. Prior to the revolution, it was rather typical to see married men deciding all the sexual activity for the women, leaving them no choice as they had to stay loyal to their husbands. The Sexual Revolution ultimately changed this tradition; as more and more women began to defy the traditional religious beliefs and engage leisurely in sexual activity, it triggered sexual liberation across the country for women (Hills). This, however, could not have happened if it weren’t for the invention of the pill, otherwise known as birth control. Contraceptives played such an important role for women’s rights that some argued it was responsible for the Sexual Revolution. These birth control pills were legalized in 1960, allowing women to engage in sexual activity whenever they pleased, whether they were married or not (The Pill). This ultimately ended the double standard between men and women in America and gave single women the right to their bodies without societal shame while also safely reducing the risk of pregnancy. Along with the pill came the topic of abortion as well. With abortion being legalized in 1973, women were given even more freedom as they could choose whether or not they were ready for pregnancy (The Sexual, Par. 2). All of these factors fueled the second-wave feminist movement, which focused on women’s family and sexuality. The Sexual Revolution was vital for women in society and gave them more liberation both sexually and socially.
II. Opposing Argument
Although the Sexual Revolution made many historic changes to American society, it still made a somewhat negative impact to the country as it led to an AIDs epidemic along with other severe STDs. Prior to the Sexual Revolution, Sexually Transmitted Diseases were often times unheard of. However, as contraceptives were legalized in the 1970’s and multiple sexual partners became a typical lifestyle, not only did STD rates shoot up but a variety of different types were discovered as well (Misachi, Par. 4).. The HIV virus, soon identified in 1981, was discovered to cause the AIDS epidemic, infecting millions of Americans (The Epidemic, Par. 4). Furthermore, many other cases of STDs such as syphilis and chlamydia were also very prevalent during this time period. A large percentage of these infections were severe; some were even fatal like AIDS, which killed hundreds of thousands of Americans by the early 1990s (The Epidemic, Par 3). Although these factors created a temporary devastation for the US, it can arguably be said to improve the country’s well being and morality as well. Due to the rapidly increasing rates of these STDs, immediate treatment was urgent. This led to the advancement of antibiotics, including the antibiotic penicillin, which was discovered to completely treat syphilis (The Epidemic, Par. 8). The Sexual Revolution also brought a balance of liberation and health as Americans became threatened by the dangers of STDs. As much as the breakout of STDs have dome its temporary damage, it can be argued that it has greatly made a long term benefit for Americans as well.
III. Conclusion
The Sexual Revolution, lasting for decades in the mid 1900s, was especially historic for its long lasting effects on America.