TLTR

Hello everyone,

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I've been doing some research and thinking a lot about the culture of prior-consent and sexual libertarianism in the U.S. I wanted to share some of my findings and invite your thoughts and perspectives.

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The concept of prior-consent, or affirmative consent, has been gaining prominence in the U.S. in recent years. The central idea is to ensure that all parties involved in a sexual encounter are willingly and enthusiastically participating. However, this well-intended approach to promoting individual autonomy has had some unintended consequences. Critiques suggest that it can lead to a situation where people feel pressured to consent to things they don't really want, due to societal expectations or a sense of politeness, resulting in dissatisfaction and regret. It seems that the focus on consent may not be sufficient to ensure positive sexual experiences and might even be detrimental to sexual norms (source: The Atlantic).

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As for sexual libertarianism, this seems to trace back to the sexual revolution of the 1960s and 70s in the U.S., which challenged traditional codes of behavior related to sexuality. This included increased acceptance of sex outside of traditional heterosexual, monogamous relationships, contraception, public nudity, pornography, premarital sex, homosexuality, alternative forms of sexuality, and the legalization of abortion (source: Wikipedia).

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In recent years, there's been a continued shift in American views on sex and marriage. There's been a significant increase in the acceptance of sexual behavior outside of marriage, divorce, polygamy, and gay and lesbian relations. These changes appear to be influenced by a complex interplay of factors, including changes in societal norms, economic patterns, the rise of social media, changing demographics, and declining religiosity, among other things (source: Gallup).

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Despite these shifts, the link between these trends and the concept of individual autonomy in U.S. culture is complex and multifaceted. While American culture is often associated with a strong emphasis on individualism and personal freedom, the details and implications of this can be complex and are the subject of ongoing debate.

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I'd love to hear your thoughts on this. How do you see the culture of prior-consent and sexual libertarianism playing out in the U.S. today? And how do you think these trends relate to the concept of individual autonomy?

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Looking forward to a lively and respectful discussion.

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