Sex, Drugs, and Rock and Roll: American
Youth Challenge Sexual Stereotypes
The sex, the Drugs, The rock and roll: American youth challenging sexual stereotypes
During the 1920s, some Americans—especially young college students—challenged traditional notions of proper behaviour. Encouraged by the decade’s prosperity, young people threw parties, drank illegal liquor, and danced new, sexually suggestive steps at jazz clubs. The 1920s saw a restless culture, spearheaded by America’s youth rebelling against the moral restrictions of past generations. After decades where a children directly married and entered adulthood the 1920s saw an emergence of a new group of people who were willing to push social norms, rebel against strict conservative values of their parents and shape culturally a relatively new society. The emergence of a youth culture was possible because of the rapid growth of sex, drugs and rock and roll; a time where conservative ideologies were imposed on liberal minds and a new rebellious youth society was born.
The Sex:
The flapper, one of the symbols of the 1920s, a new term used to describe a new group of young women who wore excessive makeup, drank, treated sex in a causal manner, smoke, drove automobiles and amongst everything discarded social and sexual norms. The typical flapper look was tomboyish and flamboyant: short bobbed hair; knee-length, fringed skirts, draping necklaces; and rolled stockings (Meyerowitz, 1275). The flapper’s behaviour was considered outlandish at the time, as it redefined women’s roles in society. These women began working outside of the home, thus challenging women’s traditional societal roles; they advocated for women’s rights and behaved in many circumstances like men. Although few women actually fit this image, it was used widely in journalism and advertising to represent the rebelliousness of the period. The flapper was portrayed in many Hollywood films and this new independent women attempted to empower other women to do the same. The introduction of flappers into daily life through
During the 1920s, some Americans—especially young college students—challenged traditional notions of proper behaviour. Encouraged by the decade’s prosperity, young people threw parties, drank illegal liquor, and danced new, sexually suggestive steps at jazz clubs. The 1920s saw a restless culture, spearheaded by America’s youth rebelling against the moral restrictions of past generations. After decades where a children directly married and entered adulthood the 1920s saw an emergence of a new group of people who were willing to push social norms, rebel against strict conservative values of their parents and shape culturally a relatively new society. The emergence of a youth culture was possible because of the rapid growth of sex, drugs and rock and roll; a time where conservative ideologies were imposed on liberal minds and a new rebellious youth society was born.
The Sex:
The flapper, one of the symbols of the 1920s, a new term used to describe a new group of young women who wore excessive makeup, drank, treated sex in a causal manner, smoke, drove automobiles and amongst everything discarded social and sexual norms. The typical flapper look was tomboyish and flamboyant: short bobbed hair; knee-length, fringed skirts, draping necklaces; and rolled stockings (Meyerowitz, 1275). The flapper’s behaviour was considered outlandish at the time, as it redefined women’s roles in society. These women began working outside of the home, thus challenging women’s traditional societal roles; they advocated for women’s rights and behaved in many circumstances like men. Although few women actually fit this image, it was used widely in journalism and advertising to represent the rebelliousness of the period. The flapper was portrayed in many Hollywood films and this new independent women attempted to empower other women to do the same. The introduction of flappers into daily life through
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