Thank the Baby Boomers

The desire to have premarital sexual relationships has not significantly changed since the 1960s. In fact, studies show that in the early 1960s 82% of teens would have premarital sex compared to a 13% increase in today’s generation. The more recent study also suggests that since the 1950s people have always been engaging in premarital sexual activities. The statistics have not changed drastically considering the 13% increase has taken place over nearly five decades. However, the Baby Boomers and the Millennials are two different generations; therefore, what is triggering the intense drive to be sexually active before marriage?

In the 1960s, having sexual relations before marriage was not approved by many of the older members of society, who are known as the Silent Generation. However, this did not stop the rebellious youth of the 60s to interact with the opposite gender. Thanks to birth control, the sixties’ youth we’re not afraid of having to deal with matters such as pregnancy and abortions.

The Contraceptive Pill

As Virginia Ironside remembers her past experiences as a young girl who lived through the glorious sixties, she claims, “in the 60s, it often seemed more polite to sleep with a man than to kick him out of your flat.” Virginia is now a writer and she explains that the sixties’ youth are the "trailblazers" of a new attitude towards sex. In fact, she explains that in the 1950s, sex was a subject completely unspoken of. However, in 1960, the birth control pill became legally approved for contraceptive use and five years later 6.5 million American women were happy users of the pill.

Mick Jagger from the Rolling Stones

Today, premarital sex is not a taboo. Society no longer looks down at people engaging in premarital sex. In a way, our generation should thank the Baby Boomers for provoking The Sexual Revolution that took place between the 1960s and the 1980s. Many sex symbols arose during this time, one of them being Mick Jagger, the famous lead singer of The Rolling Stones. During this time, typical gender roles were rejected by society and sexual norms were redefined which lead to the acceptance of premarital sex.

The youth of today engages in premarital sex in various ways. People can have sex with their boyfriends or girlfriends, or they can simply be involved in casual sexual encounters. There are many reasons why teenage couples decide to have sexual intercourse without even thinking of marriage, one being that it feels great.

In 2004, Sid Kirchheimer, a health and medical writer, claimed, “more money does not mean more sex, but that more sex can make you feel richer”. After conducting a study combining 16,000 people, Kirchheimer concludes that having sex once a week can generate the same happiness as earning an extra $50,000 a month.

While the Baby Boomers perceived sex as a new way rebel against regular norms, the Millenials see it as an immense source of pleasure and happiness.