According to Douglas, the early 1960s marked the beginning of what came to be known as the Sexual Revolution. Before the sexual revolution women were encouraged to be pure. In the past girl’s have received mixed messages about women’s role in society and women and work. Girls began to receive confusing messages about sex with the emergence of the sexual revolution. Different types of media such as, magazines were suggesting that females were not interested in sex. However, other magazines were saying that some women liked sex and premarital sex was not as rare as people thought. As a result, the mass media was blamed for the emergence of the sexual revolution.Media ranging from magazines and books to television and film began to emphasize the idea that female liberation came through sex. The pregnancy melodrama emerged at the beginning of the sexual revolution. The majority of female characters in the pregnancy melodramas represented a broad range of female sexuality, from prim and proper to promiscuous. Furthermore, the pregnancy melodramas demonstrated that there was a conflict between traditional, American beliefs and the sexual freedom available to women. Today, television shows such as, Sex and the City represent the fact that feminism is dependent upon a person’s ability to make individual choices. The four characters in Sex in the City constantly make choices that challenge traditional ideas concerning heterosexual feminism. The women are never punished for being sexually active; instead they openly discuss their sexual experiences.
Do you think that sexual freedom and pleasure are central to women’s political liberation or do you think sexuality is a site of oppression and danger to women, or both? What do you think was responsible for the emergence of the sexual revolution? Do you think third wave feminism depends upon people’s ability to make individual choices?
I don't think that anyone is actually responsible for sex and being sexual has become so open and more accepted. Every generation things are different then the generation before, as we have seen throughout history. Looking back at the 20th century from the beginning to the end sex and women has only grown and become more accepted and public. I don't think the media has anything to do with making it as big as it is today,although they do emphasize it much. Third wave feminism does depend on peoples ability to make individual choices, that's what it's all about. first and second wave feminism they we're restricted in making their own decisions about certain things. Today women are able to make the same choices that men are.
ReplyDeleteI think that it's important that women have sexual freedom - it's been accepted that men are pretty much able to do what they please sexually, and quite frankly, I see no reason it can't be the same for women. I'm not saying that women (or men) should go out and sleep with a million people, but rather that both sexes shouldn't feel like sex is taboo, or that they need to be ashamed of having, or even wanting to have sex. The media can put a negative spin on sexuality and promiscuity, however, we cannot pin the sexual revolution on the media. I think it was a long time coming, and the media only helped to push it along, be it in a negative or positive way.
ReplyDeleteI think a women's freedom that pertains to sexual freedom and pleasure are just as important as anything else. I can understand how people could see how pre-marital sex could lead to oppression, but that is only when sex is abused in a negative way. Besides that, a woman's body is her own, and should be given the choice to do what she wants. I do agree that the media played an immense part for the emergence of sexual revolution. It easily influences people and their actions, although, I agree with the previous comment, that it was a long time coming, and that it just took time for it to surface. I just that the media does a good job of dramaticising sex in many aspects, and that it will always be there. I think that it is a good thing that people can make indiviaual choices in order to express themselves in the way that they wished to be percieved. Other than that, I think it is up to a woman's own knowlege on how to use her own freedom.
ReplyDeleteI believe that this is a very fine line, and can easily be crossed. Where do we determine where a women is expressing her sexual freedom and where is she just being promiscuous? When is a woman's dress liberating, and when is it scandalous? Some might say that there is no line. Any woman's right to choose what she wants to wear or do is liberating. My personal opinion is that there is a line. Even if a man were to sleep with numerous women I might think negatively of him, and I would do the same for a woman. I am certainly not saying that everyone needs to "protect their gift" or anything, but I do believe people need to be careful and look at the consequences that can come with their actions. The sexual revolution and liberation was not about how many partners you can have or what you can get away with wearing, I believe as with Charlotte, it was more about choice. I can choose to have premarital sex or wear a bikini on the beach. Having the choice to do what I want or who I want is what the sexual liberation was about in my opinion. The choice however comes with responsibility just like every other choice we have to make in life.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Mary that there is a fine line. When the sexual revolution occured, i think the main importance was the acknowledgement that women actually enjoy sex. However, this new acknowledgement helped bring about media's obsession and exploitation of sex. I think these individual choices in the third wave helped us get to where we are today.
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