Sunday, November 1, 2009

Sex in '69: The Sexual Revolution in America (2009)


Before 1969, very few people in American had sex. Those who did, only did so for procreation, not enjoyment, and knew nothing about what they were doing. They did do it often enough to produce a lot of kids who became hippies. The hippies started having sex a lot before 1969, but were pushed out of their sexing grounds in San Francisco. When they fled the oppressive San Franciscans, they migrated to many other parts of the country. By 1969, everyone else noticed them having sex, figured there might be something to this, and started having sex too. Feminists thought that all the sex was oppressing women, so they objected to the sex. Black People of Color had been having a lot of sex before 1969, but they were oppressed. Gay people were so oppressed from all the sex that they started rioting in 1969. But at least everyone, save Richard M. Nixon, was having sex. Then came disco music.
And that pretty much sums up the narrative to the documentary Sex in '69. Which also shows you the limits of arbitrarily designating a particular year for a paradigm shift. Got some news for you kids: Pops here was around back then and it wasn't much fun. At least from what I could see as a youngster. The union guys at the GM plants near my town were either chasing tail on Saturday or in church Sunday (from all the sex). And in some cases both.
Want a good history of the sex revolutions in America? Read the Gay Talese book. This History Channel two-hour special is way too superficial.