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I say sex. You say… pleasure? Kink? A good time?
In reality, sex has been an innate trait of every species so they can reproduce. When did sex turn from solely being for reproduction to a leisurely activity?
Every living species on the planet has sex. It’s an evolutionary tool used to keep a species alive and well. However, it is not a secret that humans have sex for pleasure too. It was inevitable that sooner or later, we would start having sex just for the amazing feelings it gives us.
From the Middle Ages up until the 1960′s, sex was mainly a duty between a couple that was legally married; it was something never to talk about afterwards. Then, the sexual revolution came around in the 1960′s and, as Austin Powers said, “groovy baby.”
Women and men finding their inner “mojo”
The 1960′s was a huge era of social change. The sexual revolution changed how everyone looked at sex and what it meant to be a sexual individual.
Growing up, it’s normal to go through the ups and downs of hormones. Until the sexual evolution, the sexual urges that came with puberty were encouraged to be private. Waiting until marriage was a norm.
Puberty is a time of change for most girls and boys where they learn to express themselves sexually and find confidence, and one way many people get their confidence is through sexual desire. The more someone is desired, the more they create their “mojo.” Without the creation of the mojo and the social change that led to open sexuality, sex would still be a hush-hush topic.
Contraception and STI testing
The 1960′s were a time where condoms, birth control and other contraceptives hit the scene. Since sex was becoming socially acceptable, unwanted pregnancy became a relevant issue that encouraged contraceptives to become a necessity.
As contraception became more and more available, the scare of becoming a parent lessened and sex wasn’t as risky. Before contraception became such a norm, sex was used mainly for conceiving. But now whenever the mood hits, a condom can be right there and make it safe. In simpler terms: contraception helps lead to more safe and spontaneous fun.
Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) have also increased dramatically and again, contraception comes in handy. Condoms can help prevent, but if you’re still worried there is testing and treatment for STIs. Most universities, including CU, have free testing for STIs as well as free contraception.
The Media
Newspapers, books, movies, music and TV have an influence on almost every aspect of American life. Women are seen being sexy on Victoria’s Secret commercials, and a handsome man always seems to seduce a woman when he is driving a Cadillac. With more and more movies showing sex scenes, all the erotic romance novels and magazines like Cosmopolitan, it’s hard to avoid the notion of sex being something worth trying, and something worth doing more often.
No matter what medium, the media plays a big role in encouraging viewers to magnify their sex lives.
Parents and “The Birds and the Bees”
In elementary school, there is usually a sex education class where students are familiarized with sexual parts of the body as well as the mechanics of sex. Coming home and asking how babies are made normally leads to some crazy story from parents when you’re 11, but by age 16 the talk changes completely.
Today, parents are giving the birds and the bees talk much earlier than they used to. When parents sit down with their child to talk about sex, it validates the facts for the children or teenagers. In a kid’s mind, it’s like a passive “OK” to be sexually active.
When parents are open about sex, kids will be too. When parents are more comfortable, it is much more likely that kids will stop being shy about the topic. Being less shy can lead to less of a fear of sex and more experimenting and understanding.
As time goes on, it is safe to say sex will become more a part of our culture and less of a taboo. Although these ideas are only a small portion of why sex has become so common, it can be said the face of sex is changing dramatically from just a way to make a baby, to a culture of its own.
Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Hannah Flink at Hannah.flink@colorado.edu.
