Impact Of The Sexual Revolution On Sexuality Today

“Sex is hardly ever just about sex”, Shirley MacLane.

Studying sexuality is a relatively new research when considering other social sciences. The sexual revolution and the internet had great impacts in expanding research areas. One area of research that was brought about with technological advancements is sexting and its effects on sexual development. Another factor impacting sexuality research is the struggle to remain objective in such a controversial subject. Alfred Kinsey, William Masters, and Virginia Johnson made tremendous strides in the field of sexuality. Sigmund Freud was also one of the first researchers to explore sexuality in stages, though now much of his influence in sexuality is historical.

During the 1960s and ‘70s, there was a rapid change in views toward sexuality in the United States. This counter culture movement became known as the sexual revolution. People no longer had to be married to show their sexuality. The “Free Love Movement, ” stood for no longer passing judgment on those who acted on their sexual desires. Moreover, people started distancing themselves from behaving a certain way due to their family or for the good of the community and focused on their own desires and sexual expression. Homosexuality was considered a psychological disorder until 1973 when it was officially removed from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. The sexual revolution also paved the way for sexuality education. There were very few classes on sexuality taught before the ‘60s, but the Sexuality Information Education Council of the United States became a more prominent force due to society’s change in attitude. In addition, many traditional gender roles changed as more women worked and expressed their sexuality, while men expressed their emotions and their true selves instead of trying to portray themselves as “macho men. ” Abortion was also legalized in this era, and birth control as well as dissemination became available. Although everyone’s beliefs will not change overnight, it is important to note the significance of the sexual revolution’s impact on sexuality today.

With the rapid growth of technology, the ways to express sexuality also changed. The internet greatly impacted access to valuable information about sex. However, with its advancements, it also brought about sexting. Sexting is creating, sending or forwarding sexually suggestive pictures. With apps like Snapchat and Instagram, which have “disappearing, ” photo features, sexual development may start at a younger age. Teenagers were curious about sexuality before these apps, however the idea of a photo that will disappear may lead to children believing that sending the photos is harmless. Anyone under the age of 18 with sexually suggestive or nude photos of themselves can be charged with possession of child pornography. Studies have shown a positive correlation between sexting and likelihood to engage in sexual activities. Consequently, the study also found those who engage in sexting to have lower self-esteem.

There are a few factors which could compromise a study in sexuality. One example of this, are value judgements. People often use their faith to dictate how others should act. Some people of the Christian faith use their religion as a basis for their arguments against abortion and birth control. Value judgements cannot be factually backed up, nor can they be proven. Similarly, opinions can also negatively affect how the results of a study are interpreted. Opinions reflect personal values as opposed to facts and are unsubstantiated. In the same fashion, stereotypes, or simplistic overgeneralized ideas about a group or idea. For example, one stereotype about college students is that they all like to party. Although many students may often attend parties, saying that everyone does is an exaggeration which does not actually convey what all college students do in their free time. Related to sexuality, stereotypes can cause researchers to overlook situations that could be studied or underreport abnormalities they believe to be common. Lastly, there is the bias issue, which is also very common. Biases lead people to only acknowledge information that agrees with their personal beliefs and ignoring those that go against it. This is detrimental to knowledge because it creates a close-minded perspective in the interpretation of the results of an experiment. Finally, knowing about these fallacies can assist researchers in identifying them and making a conscious effort to remain objective.

Alfred Kinsey was a key contributor to the study of sexuality. He recognized the complexity that is sexuality and rejected the idea that sex could only be categorized as good or bad, or normal or abnormal. His books, Sexual Behavior in the Human male and Sexual Behavior in the Human female, showed statistical evidence highlighting the difference between public standards on how to behave sexually and actual sexual behavior. Kinsey believed that sexuality should be studied scientifically, without value judgement. He was committed to objectivity in his studies, which included the perspective of sexuality being a continuum. Kinsey also asserted that behaviors, not people, were heterosexual or homosexual. He created the Kinsey heterosexual/ homosexual scale when he discovered the percentage of adults who have had same-sex encounters. Kinsey also reevaluated the role of masturbation in sexuality and asserted that one of the health benefits included relieving tension, just as with sexual intercourse.

Masters and Johnson also made notable contributions to the modern world of sexuality. Their first book, Human Sexual Response, contained detailed descriptions of the physiological changes humans undergo pertaining sexuality. The book also exemplified that male and female physiological changes are extremely similar. Masters and Johnson also discovered that women achieve orgasm mostly through clitoral stimulation. Contrary to Freud’s beliefs, that there was no difference in orgasm achieved autonomously or through intercourse. This legitimized female masturbation and ended the supposed distinction between vaginal and clitoral orgasms. In addition, Masters and Johnson were also leaders in the sex therapy field. At the time, sexual problems were attributed to neuroses or personality issues, but thanks to their research that theory was debunked. Their results show that most sexual problems are likely due to lack of information, marital problems, or poor communication. Sigmund Freud, despite the test of time refuting some of his findings, still made lasting contributions to the study of sexuality. His research of the unconscious led to the founding of psychoanalysis.

Freud also created five stages he believed occurred throughout life, beginning at birth. Starting at birth is one of the facts that set him apart from other researchers at the time. The first stage which is said to occur between birth and age one is the oral stage. During this stage the infants pleasure is focused on the mouth which is demonstrated by thumb sucking and pacifiers. From ages one to three, the attention shifts to the anus, thereby called the anal stage. Thirdly, is the phallic stage from ages three to five. Children become curious about genitals, It is at this age where boys can develop sexual desires for their mother, which is referred to as the Oedipus complex. Boys were also said to have castration anxiety due to the father’s jealousy over the mother. Girls at this stage develop an Electra complex in which she has sexual desires for her father and feared her mother. When the girl realized she does not have a penis she develops penis envy. Freud asserted that because girl never got a penis, the envy was never resolved, and therefore boys become more independent than girls. Fourthly is the latency stage where there is no sexual activity until puberty. Finally, the last stage Freud referred to is the genital stage which is when they become interested in sexual intercourse.