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The Long-Term Effects Of The Counterculture Movement

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The Long-Term Effects Of The Counterculture Movement
Hippies, sex, drugs, and rock and roll. These are some things that might come to mind when you think about the counterculture movement of the 1960s. But although it may seem that way, the 1960s was not just one giant party. It was a radical social, political, and cultural movement that changed America and much of the Western world. It consisted of students, anti-war protestors, political figures, social activists, environmentalists, civil rights movement leaders as well as famous musicians and was a movement rooted in the desire for change. Many factors contributed to the causes of this movement, and being such a radical and popular movement, there are also many lingering effects. This essay will investigate two major long term effects of …show more content…
Along with rock music and widespread drug use, another thing that hippies and their counterculture movement promoted was sexual freedom. During this time, increased support of the civil rights movement, feminist movement, and the gay liberation movement resulted in an increased acceptance of sex outside of traditional heterosexual, monogamous relationships. Also, the sexual revolution resulted in the production and spike in popularity of oral contraception, IUDs, and diaphragms as well as abortion. The first birth control pill, Enovid, went on the market in 1960. Unlike any other previous form of contraception, the pill was both reliable and controlled by the woman herself, requiring neither the consent nor the knowledge of her sexual partner (Cohen). The invention and sale of the pill resulted in a radical change in American women. Instead of a major focus on virginity, marriage, and traditional morals, the focus of the American woman shifted to independence, celebration of single life, and sexual exploration. The counterculture led to the exposure of radical social and cultural change that paved the way for the sexual revolution. The sexual revolution shaped the ideals we have today about women’s sexuality and homosexuality, pre-marital sexuality, and the freedom of sexual expression ("People & Events: The …show more content…
What was once looked at as immoral, anarchistic, and revolutionary was actually one of the greatest and most influential movements in history. The effects of the counterculture movement of the 1960s can be felt in everyday life here in the United States of America and around the world. Although the movement did have negative effects on society, it resulted in some of the most radical cultural and social changes man has ever seen. It has helped to shape society into what it is today and form the opinions of many of the generations that came after it. The counterculture has helped to make me the person I am today and I think it will continue to influence generations to
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