The Impact of the Sexual Revolution on Choices Related to Sex

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In the study and discovery of human life and development, the inquiry of sexual development and behavior has greatly changed and impacted the course of human history. Human sexuality refers to “sex, gender identities and roles, sexual orientation, eroticism, pleasure, intimacy and reproduction. It is experienced and expressed in thoughts, fantasies, desires, beliefs, attitudes, values, behaviors, practices, roles and relationships.” (WHO, 2006a) The major shift towards human sexuality in America began in the 1960’s, and continued strongly throughout till the 1980’s; this specific period of time has been referred to as the American Sexual Revolution. The sexual revolution was brought about through the fluctuation of the American environment; World War 2, psychological and technological advances gave way to the shift in values, attitudes and beliefs towards human sexuality which has influenced, changed and shaped American culture in terms of choices related to sex, sexual expression, sexual orientation, celibacy and tolerance in diverse ways.

Some of what the revolution itself encompassed were biological and social issues related to gender (specifically women), psychological research in areas of marriage, sex and sexual orientation, economic opportunities in media (specifically the entrepreneurship of pornography). Political issues related to abortion and common law marriages, the emergences of sub-cultures (hippies), sexual literature in books and novels and religious impediments such as the increase in adultery and fornication. Several after effects both positive and negative and still be seen and felt in today’s society even with the revolution's dissolution in the 1980’s. The more controversial and big name headline topics and...

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Deep Throat (1972). Deep Throat the Movie. Retrieved from http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0068468/

Defining Sexual Health. Retrieved from http://www.who.int/reproductivehealth/topics/sexual_health/sh_definitions/en/

Friedan, B. (1963). The Feminist Mystique. New York: W.W. Norton Company

Griffin, S. (2014). Cinema after the Sexual Revolution. Film Reference. Retrieved from http://www.filmreference.com/encyclopedia/Romantic-Comedy-Yugoslavia/Sexuality-CINEMA-AFTER-THE-SEXUAL-REVOLUTION.html

Linker, D. (2014). America’s Love/ Hate Relationship with porn. The Week. Retrieved from http://theweek.com/article/index/257833/americarsquos-love-hate-relationship-with-porn

Wilcox, B. (2009). The Evolution of Divorce. National Affairs, 3.Retrived from http://www.nationalaffairs.com/publications/detail/the-evolution-of-divorce

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