3 Sexual Revolution Movements You Should Know About
The Sexual Revolution has paved ways and opportunities for women to speak up for their own sexual rights and challenge the traditional patriarchal norms. But what is it? Why is this piece of information necessary for my sexual well-being? Without the start of this revolution, we wouldn’t be where we are today.
What is the Sexual Revolution?
As the feminist movement evolved in the late 60s in the West, many women began raising awareness of the sexual climate and its sexual double standard. For many decades, sex for women was solely for reproductivity and nothing more. But just like men, women too enjoyed sex and had sexual needs. Thus, the Sexual Revolution, also known as the Sexual Liberation Movement, was born to challenge the notion of traditional sexual roles and the fight for sexual freedom and sexual pleasure. Many great outcomes came from this movement, such as the birth control pill, which allowed women to have sex whenever and wherever without fearing pregnancy. As the years go by, the Sexual Revolution has adapted to our current society’s needs and continues to preach its underlying message. What started and developed in Western nations began to reach other parts of the world. Therefore, our understanding of this movement is heavily centered around the Western experience. As a sex-positive feminist, being well-rounded in other people’s sexual cultural backgrounds is essential.
Here are some sexual revolutions that have taken place in different parts of the world:
Polygamy, the latest addition to Brazil’s Sexual Revolution
Polylove, as the Brazilian will call it, is when more than two people are involved in a relationship. It became well-known in 2016 and has been increasing over the years. This phenomenon has become the latest addition to the current sexual revolution in Brazil. Although polygamy is still not legal in Brazil, an unprecedented act occurred in 2012 where a judge in Rio de Janeiro legally registered and recognized the right of a polyamorous couple to form a marriage, which includes all the benefits of marriage. Though this is a controversial topic for monogamous people, it still paves the way for Brazilian polyamorous folks to continue fighting for free love.
Egypt – The Power of Social Media
Social media has been a great tool for Egyptian sexual radicals to tackle the shame and silence of female sexuality, a place to regain sexual autonomy and fight for ownership of their bodies and sexualities against the tyranny of the state. Before this unprecedented revolution, there were little to no Arabic language platforms that talked about sex, and if they did, it was very conservative content that focused on pleasing men or reproductive health. In addition, the language used was complicated and not accessible to everyone. Now, there are many social media accounts that are feminist-centered and focus on women’s pleasure. Some content that can be found talks about sexual pleasure, abortion, being queer, etc. A great platform that educates on sexual-wellbeing and pleasure focus is The Sex Talk Arabic on Instagram.
South Korea – “If the sex is bad, leave”
“If the sex is bad, leave,” says Lin Yu-Han, part of a grassroots sexual revolution in South Korea. In the last decade, many Korean women have been challenging the strict gender roles in relationships that have been around for centuries. In a deeply conservative society, Korean women want to take ownership of their sexuality and break the stigma around sex. Slowly but surely, this revolution and openness have begun conversations about female sexuality and the unfair sexual double standard amongst the public. Sex shops have been increasing over the years. TV shows are now talking about gender stereotypes and bringing sexual minorities into the spotlight. However, backlashes from the older generation and the prominent Christian community aren’t massive fans of this “change.”
“The personal is political.”
These are a few examples of Sexual Liberation Movements that are still going on throughout the world that should be on mainstream media! The fight for sexual liberation is still ongoing and requires tremendous strength, resilience, and collective community. We must continue to bring awareness and speak out on this matter to live an honest, authentic life without judgment and shame of our sexual/non sexual identities.
