Beyond the Sexual Revolution: Whores, Madonnas and Gender Stereotypes

Nearly four decades have passed since the sexual revolution, a time when women claimed unprecedented sexual freedom. The pill and the availability of abortion allowed women to express their sexuality for the first time without the restraints of becoming pregnant.

Literature emerged containing such ground-breaking notions that women not only enjoyed orgasms and sex but their partners had a responsibility to provide them. Playgirl and the Chippendale dancers emerged as the female's response to Playboy and strip clubs. It became permissible, even celebrated, for women to be as sexually aggressive as men.

However, this movement has not been without its consequences and it would be unrealistic to believe that they have been all positive. Also, perceptions of the sexual revolution are bound to vary between men and women.

Some questions to ponder:

Do men still covet the "bad" girls but want to marry the "good" girls?
Is it still more acceptable for men to have multiple partners than women?
What have been positive outcomes of the sexual revolution?
What have been negative effects?
Is the growing trend of hyper-sexuality among teen girls an assertion of feminine power and equality or exploitation of women?

Perhaps most important in a political context, are renewed efforts to control access to contraception and limit abortion a concerted effort to dial back the progress women have made toward sexual equality?

Some resource links:

A Short History of the Sexual Revolution
http://www.people.virginia.edu/~rjh9u/sexhistory.html

A misogynist's perspective by Henry Makow Ph.D.
The Effect of Sexual Deprivation on Women
http://www.savethemales.ca/000177.html

the effects of the sexual revolution <-- Blames for increase in crime and destruction of marriage
http://www.powerandlove.com/cgi-bin/blosxom.cgi/sexuality/contemporary_western_culture/sexual_revolution/effects.html?seemore=y

Out with the old and out with the new
Feminism of every stripe has failed. It's time for a gender equality movement.
http://dir.salon.com/mwt/feature/2000/01/26/feminism/index.html?pn=1

questions are determined by individuals. Every woman has to come to her own decisions about her sexuality, which is the freedom we have won since this revolution began. There will always be people (men and women) who will be overly influenced by the culture's prevailing views regarding gender and everything else....some people just don't bother to think for themselves.
Women are free to oversexualize themselves if they choose, just as men are and do.
We all have to find what's right for us. Personally, I ignore the bulls*** our culture throws at me. As George Carlin says, "It's a great country, but a STRANGE culture!"

Thank you for responding.

Not everyone, however, is such an independent thinker. What do you think of culture's prevailing views and how they have changed over the years? Do you think it has been for the better or worse?

Is to pass judgement or offer opinion on something that just isn't known (at this time, perhaps never).

Both of you raise interesting questions and points. I hope to rejoin you this afternoon (off to meetings).

any more thought?

if there ever was.

If you ask twenty different people, you'll get twenty different views.

It varies hugely due to age, race, cultural background, where people live, education level, etc.

keep it up, and i'm going to join the Promise Keepers. :eyes:

You join the Promise Keepers?!?!?! I must be inflicting some heave damage here. ;-)

Frankly, I'm surprised. I thought this topic would generate more interest. It's probably the closest thing we'll get to a sex thread without violating the DU rules. Any ideas why this one appears to be bombing out? :shrug:

I think that one can say that women still have some double standards when it comes to sex and we are still fighting to just have contraception and abortion availible to us. We might have come a long way in somethings but the equality is still a long way off.

scary and disturbing. Unfortunately, I'm sure that guy has a big following.

What evidence of these double standards do you see? What do you think of the current pop star trend of flaunting sexuality, such as Spears or Aguilera. Does it move women backward or forward?

been the case. The 80's saw women emerge as a legitimate faction in rock music (Chrissie Hynde, countless others), some who were quite up front about using sex as a power tool. Even TV in the '90s had it (Murphy Brown, Cybill).

Hard to explain the dichotomy between this era and the past one, but I think it can be explained like "I got it, you want it, but you take it on my terms" vs. "here I am, would you like me to be a slut or an angel tonight?." That doesn't apply to every performer, of course, but it seems prevalent.

It was about being treated and paid as an equal in the workplace first and foremost and getting the respect otherwise that women weren't getting. I never did care about the double standard even when I was in high school before the feminist revolution. I didn't care whether boys thought I was a good girl or a bad girl because I knew who I was and I didn't need them defining my moral standards.

because that power will be very fleeting. it works for only as long as you are sexually desirable (if you were ever there to begin with. if you are under/over weight, have small boobs, whatever, kiss that power goodbye).

i think that confidence in yourself (whatever body type) and your abilities (which will only get stronger with time) are much more important sources of power for girls and women.

you have it. And it's simply a part of the confidence of which you speak.

Third Wave Feminism which I haven't had time yet to do. Essentially it's about women retaining their sexuality and feminism. I need to understand this more.

The so called female sexual revolution has often seemed to benefit men more than women. At least, for my generation. All of a sudden, women were supposed to use birth control and be solely responsible for the consequences. Not in committed relationships or with more enlightened folks, but I certainly heard enough that if a woman becomes pregnant than it's her fault. Then there is the whole issue of the media ideal woman. That is a relatively new phenomena. That women need enhanced breasts and to look like the movie ideal. I'm not sure it's worked in women's favor. Makeup, shaved legs, high heels are fairly recent mainstream ideas. I know that women have used enhancements throughout history but it was not expected of the average woman.

I'm bothered by teen girls hypersexuality or what is perceived as such. It seems like a regression when I hear about teen girls giving blow jobs without any reciprocation. The whole Britney Spears phenomena and the culture with young girls wearing extremely sexy clothes seems crazy and misguided. (I do know she's not popular now but she was and I'm using her as an icon) Look who was blamed for the Janet Jackson incident. Janet and not the man who ripped off her clothes. I think the culture is still figuring this one out.

>>Look who was blamed for the Janet Jackson incident. Janet and not the man who ripped off her clothes. I think the culture is still figuring this one out.

Do you honestly think it was not Janet who planned and choreographed that event - simply to sell some CDs no less. There is a very good reason JJ gets the blame, it was her show, JT was just a bit player.

I think it was both of them. And both should bear responsibility. I don't understand why you think JT didn't know exactly what would happen. He's not exactly a pawn.


BTW...I do not care at all that her breast was shown for an instant. The mysogeny of the show bothered me much more.

on edit: I hijacked one of Prolesunited earlier threads so if you want to discuss this further, let's take it to a new thread. :hi:

As a young kid when all this was going on, first I received the message that I'd be freak if I did. Then the message changed to 'you're a freak if you don't.'

That's a negative if you're keeping score.

The positive in it was the economic power that came with birth control.

a must read she was inspired by the entry in Barbra Walker's the Womans Encyclopedia of Myths and Secrets

or more information on that?

and read it !!! words cant really describe it the author found out how cunt used to be a title of respect and a title for high priestess and how modern day turned it into something ugly and how amazing .She uses this as a backdop for her book.She talks about race and queer issues freetrade independant biz magic whores and mothers all with a feminist perspective.and how lucky we are to be women.
here is the amazon.com link it does not do it justice
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1580050751/qid=1078967075/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1_xs_stripbooks_i1_xgl14/104-8793479-7847126?v=glance&s=books#product-details

I'm not familiar with that. I'll have to take a look.

:puke: for the most...so, i'll take a stab at answering your questions.
Do men still covet the "bad" girls but want to marry the "good" girls?
I don't know...but I tend to think this is still the case. However, I think attitudes have changed (slightly).

Is it still more acceptable for men to have multiple partners than women?
I believe this is still the case.

What have been positive outcomes of the sexual revolution?
I think it gave people more lifestyle choices, particularly women. I also think women, in particular, shattered some of the taboos and myths about female sexuality, or the lack thereof.

What have been negative effects?
Well, the negative effects I see are related to:
commercialization and backlash.
I think the current trend of hypersexuality is related more to those things than to the sexual revolution itself.

You ask such interesting questions, but I am at work...between spreadsheets. I will give this some more thought tonightand perhaps post again tomorrow.