As a millennial sometimes feeling like I was born in the wrong era, there is often a liberal attitude that I find disturbing.  In particular the attitudes and behaviors toward sex and sexuality that are held and displayed by today’s generation makes me wonder where we as a people are headed when it comes to modesty and discretion.  It seems these days our tanks are running low on these 2 things.  Please don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with embracing one’s femininity and celebrating our continued journey to liberation and equality.  However the children coming up now have few examples to follow.  No one seems interested in demonstrating how and when to express femininity so that self respect is maintained and so they may be taken seriously in a male dominated world.  In order to understand where we’re going we should understand how we arrived to where we are on this issue.

A WOMAN SCORNED

About 50 or 60 years ago (not that long ago) society began to see gender roles come in to question and even challenged.  We began seeing women that were in unhealthy abusive relationships, tired of a male dominated society which resulted in marginalization, and objectification  want to be free from these ideals or mores.  These women were well within their rights to have these feelings and to desire  more balanced expectations.  However many of the attitudes toward sexuality were rooted in anger and displayed in aggression.  In turn we found more women using their  bodies to do what they wanted, with whom they wanted, when they wanted. Traditional ways of thinking about modesty (such as saving one’s self for one man and waiting until marriage) received a TKO.  Anything that so much as mimicked or suggested sexual suppression was greatly rejected.

IS SEXUAL LIBERATION REALLY…LIBERATING?

When you think about the implications behind being liberated and free in one’s mind and  body as these women sought to do, we should consider the way in which they raised this awareness.  Are you really demonstrating you are in control of your own body and sexuality because you have “redefined” your virtue by being more liberal in your attitude to ward sexuality.  Nowadays it’s almost a crime for one to say they are waiting until marriage before having sex without being called a “prude” or gay”.  The actions taken by these women to redefine how society viewed sexuality may have been demonstrating that they were still very much bound by their experiences.  Someone who is really liberated may not have to go to such extreme behaviors to exude freedom.  Now sure some things are done in an effort to make a socio political statement.  With that being said we know sometimes extreme measures are taken to raise awareness on issues that are often marginalized.  However maintaining this type of behavior does not necessarily exude liberation.

WHAT DID THE SEXUAL REVOLUTION GIVE US?

The sexual revolution empowered woman to consider that they were more than just wives and mothers.  Many women began pursuing their own endeavors even if it meant spending more time outside of the home.   “Girl power” caused the world to pay attention to the contributions of women and the impact they left on the world thanks to the revolution.  The advancement of women’s liberation through the sexual revolution inadvertently joined forces in the fight with other marginalized groups in society striving for civil rights.

What do you think? Has the sexual revolution helped to advance oppressed groups of people?  Or was the revolution the gateway to an oversexualized society?