The Summer of 1962 - Prevalent theories regarding Sexuality in the early 60’s

For the younger women out there:

This is how the Sexual Mores was back in the day, ( I was born on March 9, 1945 and came of age just before the sexual revolution). This is my perspective, and others of my era may have different viewpoints. I learned that women were basically responsible for the behavior of men - i.e., by their nature men were the sexual aggressors and it was the woman’s responsibility to draw the line and keep them under control.  Therefore any sexual improprieties were basically presumed to be the woman’s fault.  Certainly if a woman got pregnant it was her fault!  Typically the baby would be primarily the responsibility of the woman. 

My father as I got older said I should “let the rope out slowly” . (I think that maybe he was afraid I’d never get married otherwise). He also jokingly said that the woman was the flower pot whereas the man was the master gardener.  I am sure you  have heard the statement that a lot of serious things are said in jest. 

It was expected that a woman would be a virgin when she got married but it was okay if a man had some sexual experience prior to marriage. In fact, it was almost better if he had some experience before his wedding night! How exactly can that happen unless certain women are “used”. 

Since I shared my own story of an aggressive sexual attack, I have been surprised by the number of friends who have had similar experiences of forceful sexual advances. It was pretty prevalent and not much became of it.  After all, unless you could present some sperm as “hard evidence” you were basically a voice crying out in the wilderness!  As they say in Brooklyn, “Forgetaboutit!” 

I felt that my basic understanding of human sexuality was detrimentally influenced by Catholic teachings and underlying philosophies concerning sexuality and virginity. But this could be an entire book in and of itself so I won’t elaborate anymore on it here.