2008: Time for a new sexual revolution?

Posted by: Amy on: 5 January, 2008

• In: Feminism | sexual attitudes | sexuality
• 4 Comments

Happy new year folks! 🙂

I usually feel optimistic at the beginning of each new year. I like to tell myself that it’s a new year, and a new slate. It is in this vein that I believe now would be a good marker for the beginnings of a new sexual revolution.

Do not get me wrong, we have definitely made progress the last few decades. I’d hate to live in a society where the 1950s model of sexuality reigned supreme. However, I really have to question how far we really have come?

You cannot tell me that we still do not have seriously screwed-up issues relating to sex and sexuality! I’ve personally already written some posts about some of these issues. Women are still objectified (hell, read any lad’s mag) and treated as meat (hello – roasting), raunch culture just sucks, there are some selfish fuckers out there (not everyone, though), and disgusting attitudes to rape and rape victims (the amount of posts I could link to on this subject!). And some people are just so fucking clueless. All these – and other issues, such as sexual double standards – need to be addressed, dammit. I mean – talk about a suckfest.

Sure, there is more openness about sexuality. And it’s not like sex is swept under the carpet, hidden away. Hell, we all know it’s completely the opposite: it’s right up there in your face. But it’s always the same image and representation of sex. Isn’t that perhaps a bit troubling, right? And from which perspective is the vast majority of sexuality represented? Hmm…let me take a guess…

Whenever I’ve read anything about the sexual revolution of the ’60ies, I am always a bit troubled by the part Playboy/Hefner played in it. I always really feel that that kinda set a precedent. Sure, sex is now more in the open, but it’s got bunny ears and shit. I really don’t like that. I don’t feel comfortable with how much the media views sexuality, and particularly women, from a male gaze. I really don’t feel comfortable with the effect this has on women’s self esteem. You’ve heard about that APA report which found “that the proliferation of sexualized images of girls and young women in advertising, merchandising, and media is harmful to girls’ self-image and healthy development”, right? I have this theory that all this – the objectification, the male-centric sexuality bolleaux which is touted as the definition of sexuality, bla bla bla – is largely due to the part Hefner and co. played in the sexual revolution of the 60ies. Hence, my thinking that we need a damn new sexual revolution, all our very own. One which won’t be hijacked by capitalism (I know – some dream, hey.)

There are also yet more issues, some very disturbing.

For example of pure disturbance, the charity Marie Stopes discovered in a recent poll of 1000 girls aged 11-15 that:

• Only half knew AIDS could be prevented by using condoms
• 40% thought it was illegal for under 16s to buy condoms
• The latest rumour is that you can’t get pregnant having sex on a copy of the Yellow Pages.

Clearly, in Britain we need more damn sex education. We need to revolutionise our sex ed. (America damn well does too – abstinence only, what the fuck is up with that?!) We need to address where the hell kids get these dumbarse ideas from, and we need to damn well make sure they’re equipped with information!

 I just think we all deserve a better society. One with no double standards – so, no judgements – one where we are all able to gain access to objective and impartial information, and allowed and able to make our own informed decisions about our own sex lives. One where there is no one standard or “norm” for sexuality – where homosexuals are just as well represented, for example. No shame. No misogyny. 🙂