FIREBIRD

CIRCA 1969 (Part I) : SEX AND GENERATION GAP

c. MCMLXIX (1969) was the year many of my peers were born. It’s been 40 years hence and each of us would say that we are at the cross-road of our life. At mid-life, we are at a cross-road between years of experiences and what else lies in the future.

Collectively, as an age group, it could be said that we were born from the cross-road of the generations. Actually, it was during that time that the phrase “generation gap” was coined. In fact, it was this phrase that the brand ‘Gap’ took its name after. It opened its first store in San Francisco, California in the summer of ‘69 by an enterprising couple named Doris and Don Fisher. After 40 years, ‘Gap’ is now a globally-known brand in the clothing apparel industry.

Generational gap is an issue when there is a conflict between the traditional values versus the eager exploration of the youth to new cultures. During the 60’s, the predominantly young who became involved with the counter culture took sexual freedom as a central theme of its politics. Suddenly, there was a significant shift in social attitudes, behaviors and institutional regulations surrounding sexuality. Sexually-related issues became political. The “politics of sex” was institutionalized, emerging as an axis around which other social movements were organized such as the Pro-Choice Movement, which espouses a woman’s right to abortion; the gender movements such as the women’s and gay liberation movements; civil rights movements and the peace movements. Hence, the new culture opened the issue of equality between gender-roles, ethnic and minority rights; personal autonomy concerning reproductive choices and sexual expression.

Since contraceptives became widely available and sexually-transmitted diseases at the time mostly being easily treatable, gave way to reforms in the legal and medical regulation of sexuality. These were the impetus for the passage of controversial laws that addresses the issues of morality. Abortion and contraception were legalized in Canada in the mid-year of 1969.
The 60’s lifestyle and its followers were called “Hippies”. This was characterized by rebellion and drugs. Thus, non-conformist ideals aggressively challenged the prevailing system by active protest. Even activism itself took on new form. Radical and creative ways of protest were developed to instigate social change. No wonder, the “hippies” had shed-off all inhibitions (and their clothes!) to express defiance against the stiff cultural norms defined by censorship and fascist oppression.

The culture of “free love” was unleashed which preached the power of love and the beauty of sex as part of ordinary life. This was characterized by experimentation in pursuit of sexual pleasure and discovery of new ways to express sexuality. Sex was much more explicitly discussed in books, music, and other media, with the publication of guides to sexual techniques. It was the year 1969 that David Reuben published “Everything You Wanted to Know About Sex (But Were Afraid to Ask).” which became one of the decade’s most popular books. The Way to Become the Sensuous Woman by Joan Garrity was also published and became a best-seller that year. Thus, sexual topics that were previously considered unsuitable for discussion, such as oral sex, orgasm, and homosexualiy, were openly talked about among the young to the dismay of their conservative elders. Because of these books, today the print media has been bold in its graphical discussion of sexual issues.

With the increased commercialization and commoditization of sexuality, censorship laws were relaxed. As pornography invaded the mainstream media, it was in 1969 that the U.S. Supreme Court approved the possession for personal use of obscene materials.

The socio-cultural changes of that era figuratively (literally, too) ‘rocked’ the foundations of tradition and conservative values. Thus, the so-called “sexual revolution” was in full swing in 1969. It was manifested on stage, in literature and movies, and at outdoor festivals such was the famed Woodstock Festival in New York in the summer of ‘69. The old taboos such as nudity became a public spectacle. The theatrical play “Oh! Calcutta!" which opened in NYC with the (almost) entirely cast in the nude, begun today’s staging of nudity. Some seemed to have lost their sense of inhibition by public display of nudity. Jim Morrison of the “Doors” was, on several occasions that year, arrested for publicly exposing himself. Censorship became a burning issue when "Midnight Cowboy" was released with an X rating. Nowadays, our generation are least shocked by nudity and movies like “Midnight Cowboy” is cartoons compared to today’s contemporary films.

“The so called "permissive" or "swinging sixties" has become a metaphor for contemporary social conflict. For progressives it is heralded as a time of revolutionary ferment which ushered in much needed social change, ushering in the civil rights movements, decolonization, women’s liberation, gay & lesbian liberation, green and peace movements. For conservatives it has become a scapegoat to blame many contemporary problems upon. Issues such as pornography, marriage breakdowns, single parent families, welfare state dependency, drugs and youth crime are all seen as having their origins in the "permissiveness" of the sixties.”

- Marcuse Herbert, (1987)

It could be said that the sexual tolerance during the 60s were the impetuous for today’s sexual sophistication. I remember, as teenagers, joking with peers about us being born in the year 1969 as highly sexual. Obviously, it was in reference to that sexual position 69 or what the French called soixante-neuf. We laughed at the idea. Yet I guess, after what had transpired that year, there is some truth to that. In a way, the “sexual revolution” then is part of the counter culture that exists to the present. Afterall, the issues and controversies like censorship and sexual repression still haunts us today.

Sex and sexuality has always been an issue we confront throughout the eras. From generation to generation attitude changes regarding sex. The generational conflict stems from the adherence to prevailing customs and cultural norms against the novelty of change. But change is inevitable. The taboos of yesterday might be the trend of today. This aspect of our humanity evolves discreetly with time. However, if there was a time in history more abrupt and sudden in change about sexual issues, it’ll definitely be the 60s.