Women's Liberation in the 60s and 70s: Gender and Sexuality

The Sexual Revolution

• Shift from 1950s nuclear family expectations.
• Rise of alternate living arrangements (e.g., communes).
• Decrease in the expectation for marriage and motherhood.
• More open discussions on sexual pleasure for women.

Criticism of Traditional Views

• Challenge to Freudian sexual views (e.g., "The Myth of the Vaginal Orgasm").
• "Our Bodies, Ourselves" (1970): A groundbreaking book on women's anatomy, health, and sexuality.

Birth Control and Legal Challenges

• Development of the birth control pill (Enovid in 1957 for menstrual cramps, approved as contraceptive in 1960).
• Legal battles:
  • Griswold vs. Connecticut (1965): Established marital privacy for contraceptive use.
  • Eisenstadt vs. Baird (1972): Extended contraceptive rights to unmarried individuals.

Health Concerns and Legislation

• Barbara Seaman's book "The Doctor's Case Against the Pill" (1969) raised awareness of health risks.
• Senate hearings led to lower hormone levels in birth control pills and informed consent requirements.

Social Satire and Public Discussions

• Ms. Magazine's "If Men Could Menstruate" (1978) highlighted gender biases in society.
• Increased public discussion of topics like menstruation and women's sexuality.

Exclusion and Activism within Women's Liberation

• Exclusion of Black women and lesbians in some feminist groups.
  • Betty Friedan's "lavender menace" comment about lesbians.
  • Lesbian protests (e.g., 1970 Congress to Unite Women).
• Trans women facing exclusion but leading efforts in LGBTQ activism.

Key LGBTQ Protests

• Compton's Cafeteria Riot (1966): Trans women protested police oppression.
• Stonewall Riots (1969): Major protest led by LGBTQ community, included trans women like Sylvia Rivera and Marsha Johnson.
  • Led to the first Gay Pride Parade in the U.S.
  • Stonewall recognized as a National Historical Site.

Shifts in the 60s and 70s

• Greater social acceptance of discussions on women's sexuality and anatomy.
• Birth control and sexual behavior as points of social contention.
• Marginalized groups (women of color, lesbians, trans women) critiquing exclusionary practices within feminist movements.
• Ongoing marginalization and recognition of activist contributions, especially by trans women.