Marianne Marchant June 22nd, 2012 The Sexual Revolution Historians and sociologists have published articles, which

relate human sexualit y across different ages. In the Victorian age, sex was a thrilling private adven ture, which involved specific partners, not a social competition as it appears t oday. Many feminist have argued that the Victorian perspective of sexuality was oppressive adding that it denied women the opportunity to choose sexual partners . Concomitantly, the perspective granted opportunity to men, who had a range of partners but maintained that women had to be monogamous. The preservation of the social norms defined the social practices in the society. The sexual revolution of 1960s set a new stage for sexuality as observed in the current society. In popular history, advocates for sexuality rooted heterosexual relationship in which men had a say in the overall relationship. The tradition also defined the voice of a woman in the relationship. Feminist and other critics argued that the perception of sexuality in the tradition or the Victorian age promoted selfish interest of the male as opposed to the female (Lynch 96). Largely, men could ent er into polygamous relationship while women had to remain faithful to their part ners. While sexuality in the popular history favored the interest of the heteros exuality, acts such masturbation or homosexuality were also present. Some histor ians and sociologists have observed that masturbation and other homosexual activ ities are not new versions in the society, but their amplification resulted from the sexual revolution (Lynch 97). In popular history, the male influenced sexuality by dictating when to have or n ot to have sexual intimacy on the contrary the sexual revolution has influenced the ability of women to make choices of the sexual partners. For along time, the society considered women who proposed any sexual relationship as immoral or did not observe the societal precept. The revolution did not only change the choice that women make when it comes to choosing sexual partners but also when to enga ge in the act. In this sense, the sexual relation opened a window for women to m ake choices for the relationship. Women have used the opportunity to enter and t erminate relationship with victimization. In the past victimization was a common phenomenon especially, when women took bold steps to propose a sexual relations hip with the male counterpart. In popular history, multiple sexual partners was a preserve for men whereas the sexual revolution set the stage for sexual activities such as short term sexual relationship or multiple sexual partners while in a given relationship. Many cri tics believe that the provision in the popular history denied public or open vie ws about multiple relationship especially women. Although the popular history pe rceived any other sexual affair as ignoble, people engaged in extra marital affa irs. The society did not allow the practices openly, but they existed. Some crit ics and advocates for sexual revolution have observed the society lived in denia l because some people perpetrated this practices yet the society did not admit t heir existence. In essence, prostitution is an ancient practice that did not hav e a legal backing. Following the sexual revolution the popular history had to co ncede that prostitution is a common practice, which is not alien to humanity. Another common aspect of the popular history is that many women observed sex as a pleasure of marriage that is contrary to the present notion advocated for in t he sexual revolution. The conception of sex and love in the popular history was that these two social issues were consumable only in marriage. In sexual revolut ion age, proponent of sexual revolution contends that women can find love and en joy plenty of sex outside marriage. Coincidentally, many people have a lot of in formation about sex and project a given amount of magnitude to the sexuality. Pr egnancy was a challenge to very many women because it was a physical indication that a woman had actually consummated in sex. Thus, many women did not only fear to reveal their sexual desires but also feared the traditional norms that could lock them once they became pregnant. Theorists contend that the above aspect in fluenced the extent of boyfriend relationship and the marriage institution. Some traditions did not accept women who had broken their virginity before marriage

(Lynch 98). While the norm tended to influence the lives of women, it did not ha ve any checks for men. Feminists have termed the above aspect of the popular his tory as discriminatory tactics which male chauvinist used in perpetrating self-i nterest. In popular history, daughters received sexual guidance from older women on the c ontrary the sexual revolution has numerous ways of disseminating sexual informat ion to the female folk. One such source of information is Anne Koedts essay The My th of the Vaginal Orgasm. In this essay Koedt describes what most women believe a bout sex and orgasms, and then informs women as to why some women remain frigid and have a hard time reaching climax. Another source for young women to get info rmation is from their mothers. Mothers played a critical role in educating their daughters against sexual affairs outside marriage. The gender roles defined the place of women within their immediate homes, in most cases; women took the oppo rtunity to influence the behavior of their daughters. Presently, media and the m odern technology have enabled women and men to access information about sexualit y. In addition, the advent of pornographic literature has exposed sexuality to t he society. The information that the society has about sexuality has proved or i nfluenced many women into burying the initial notion propagated in the Victorian age about love and sex as fruits of marriage. The invention of pills and other pregnancy prevention methods have promoted the campaign against popular notion in sexuality. In Newsweek in 1966 an article cal led Unstructured Relations was released about students forming relationships. In t his article one example couple, David and Mary, David places reminders for the p ill in the bathroom. Before the sexual revolution men had very little knowledge, or interest in the female birth control pill. Critics have observed that the wo rking class especially women have embraced the use of preventive measures i.e. p ills or condoms to prevent becoming pregnant (Lynch 98). Further, it is evident that marriage does not command the respect that it had in the past. Female innoc ence is no longer a factor to consider when entering into sexual relationship. T hese modern trends have not only promoted the sexual revolution but have set the stage for the society (women and men) to enter into sexual contracts. In the pa st, the term sexual contract did not exist; however, if it did, then the society did not embrace it openly. It is arguable that popular history defined the boun dary of sexual relationships as opposed to the sexual revolution in which the pe rceived societal norms that influenced sexual life are no longer consequential. In conclusion, popular history had a definite boundary in which the sexual contr acts existed on the contrary the sexual revolution set a new stage for sexual re lationship thereby elevating barriers that influenced women choices to sexual pa rtners as well as enjoying sex. The popular history led the society to develop t he notion that love and sex were a preserve for the married. The sexual revoluti on has warped the above notion replacing it with freedom of choice in which wome n and men could make choices concerning when to have sex. Work cited Lynch, Sandra. Philosophy And Friendship. Edinburg: Edinburgh University Press. 2005. Print. Koedt, Anne. The Myth of the Vaginal Orgasm. Taking it to the Streets. 2001. Print . The Free Sex Movement Taking it to the Streets. 2001. Print. Not Everything Goes Taking it to the Streets. 2001. Print. Unstructured Relationships Taking it to the Streets. 2001. Print.