THE SEXUAL REVOLUTION OF THE '60s

There have been significant shifts in social attitudes, behaviors and institutional regulations surrounding sexuality throughout the 1960s - the sexual behavior of Americans changed within one decade.

The sexual revolution of the 1960s and 1970s was recognized by the mass media almost immediately, since most journalists during the late 1950's and early 1960's were encouraging sexual freedom.

Women began to take control of their sexuality and trade in long skirts for short minis without pantyhose. Moreover, revealing necklines became the custom, and bras were discarded as a mark of independence. Of course, the sexual revolution of the 1960's encompassed more than provocative clothing. Homosexuals who lived in secret came out of the closet, and casual sex was on the rise.

The cultural atmosphere of the 1960s, associated with the rise of rock music, the increased use of marijuana, LSD, and other drugs among youth, widespread public displays of nudity, and a new openness about sexuality, contributed to the awareness of radical cultural change that was the social matrix of the sexual revolution.