This article explores changes in sexual equality since the sexual revolution of the 1960s.
Research indicates changes in intimate relationships between women and men since the 1960's sexual revolution. According to Lillian Rubin, young women and adolescents are more assertive about their sexual desires than ever before. Young women account for 50% of sexual initiations, and engage in much more varied sexual behaviours than previous generations. So, has radical feminism been successful in bringing equality into the bedroom? Research speaks a resounding 'no'. While sexual initiation is equally split between the sexes, women still take more responsibility for 'pleasing' their partner than men. According to Braun, Gavey and McPhillips (2003), reciprocity in bed is far from common. While women's sexual repertoire has expanded to include more frequent oral sex, for example, men's bedroom activities have remained relatively unchanged. It seems that intimate encounters between men and women continue to be an arena for social change.
