First time I heard the phrase Sexual Liberation, I thought it just meant a girl’s freedom to have sex with whoever she wants and whenever she wants without the guilt or shame that comes with it . While it loosely translates to that, it means a lot more. I was shocked when I learnt that a group of fearless revolutionists had to fight for it and it made me question and take time to understand how and why it is important.
Well to begin with its genesis, sexual liberation was a part of one the most well fought after sexual revolutions which fiercely challenged traditional codes and norms of behavior related to sexuality and sexual relationships throughout the United States and the developed world. From the 1960's to the 1980’s, people started questioning some of the beliefs, ideas and norms surrounding the sexual lives of women. Luckily, it spread to the rest of the world. People started to understand and question some of these "morals" which aimed at controlling the sexual lives of women.
Sexual liberalization is and was very important because among other things it increased the acceptance of sex outside of traditional heterosexual, monogamous relationships, normalization of contraception, masturbation and alternative forms of sexuality. When the Pill as a contraceptive method was first introduced, people, more specifically, the conservationists went ballistic, they couldn’t comprehend the idea of giving women the freedom of separating sex from procreation because women were supposed to stay home, have children and take care of the family.
It is insane that the revolutionists fought for something which women today are still struggling with- the guilt and judgement which comes to making decisions concerning meeting their sexual needs. Today, single mothers are judged and shunned by the society. Having children without a husband is still considered promiscuous, and getting contraceptives is still frowned upon.
Thanks to the movement, people started to understand that women, enjoyed sex as much as men do and that women also have sexual needs. On top of that, women just like everyone else are entitled to make their own sexual choices which might include not choosing to have sex.
You can be part of the movement by not judging, guilt tripping or treating women different based on their sexual choices.
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