Sexual Revolution

The documents in Peiss regarding the Sexual Revolution were so interesting to me not only because of the the ways in which young women and men conducted themselves in regards to their sexuality, but my own personal knowledge from watching TV shows or movies relating to the 60s and 70s.  The young man (Jefferson Poland) who was whipped by his dad because he was wetting his bed and had to leave his home with his mom was an interesting topic.  This man would eventually leave home after attending 20 different schools before going to college, he truly had a ruff childhood.  He eventually leaves his mom and begins traveling on his own (hitchhiking) and attending different schools again!  I felt kind of sad to hear that he had sex with a man just because he gave him a ride on one of his many travels, he stated that although he enjoyed the expereince he felt ashamed.  I also believe that because of his feelings of shame he wanted to accept and also tell others during this time of the Vietnam War and Civil Rights movement that it was totally exceptable to be free to love men or women alike, and not to be ashamed of nudity in public places, freedom of speech (profanity) because these were natural and God given rights as human beings.  Although his movement of the Sexual Freedom League did not succeed I do believe that the efforts he and his colleagues protested helped shape the way in which the society viewed sexuality in a more liberal and acceptable nature.  The signs of many protesters carried that read, "Let's Make Love, Not War", have become so famous in America's knowledge via movies and magazines, it was the sign of the times! However, because of the Vietnam War and Civil Rights Movement the Sexual Freedom beliefs of nudity in public, multiple sex partners, sex before marriage, gay and lesbian rights were not in the forefront of the media.

The other document I found interesting was about how young Latina girls in Southern Texas were victimized sexually by the "gang banging" in their impoverished community.  The girls that came from strong Catholic and Patriarchal homes were never allowed to experiment let alone speak about sexual relations before marriage, it was considered taboo.  Also, it was heart wrenching when I read about how the "pachucas" were subjected to gang rapes because of their affiliation with the street gangs, and how their lives were cut short either by drugs, or rule of the patriarchal domination of the gang itself. The one girl who was in a gang that rescued another girl from getting gang raped was so good to read because it should the alliance women have for one another as sisters protecting each other from the hands of the sexual violence preform by men.