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1960s and 1970s. GENERATION GAP. Teenaged baby boomers – too many of them to ignore. A huge age difference. The young created a counter-culture. They rejected the “ Canadian dream ”—getting married, starting a family, buying a bungalow in suburbia, and waiting to have sex.
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GENERATION GAP • Teenaged baby boomers – too many of them to ignore. A huge age difference. • The young created a counter-culture. They rejected the “Canadian dream”—getting married, starting a family, buying a bungalow in suburbia, and waiting to have sex. • Sayings(Make Love, Not War; God is Dead; and Turn On, Tune In, Drop Out)
BEHIND CLOSED DOORS • Attitudes toward sexuality changed dramatically. Obscene material was no longer obscene. • Birth control stopped being Taboo and became a ticket to worry free sex. • Canadian society became more tolerant of homosexuality.
BEHIND CLOSED DOORS • Everett George Klippert :In 1965 interrogated by the police as part of an arson investigation in the Northwest Territories. Klippert was arrested after admitting that he had had sex with other men. When psychiatrists determined that he was unlikely to stop having sex with men, he was declared a dangerous offender and sentenced to life in prison. Maclean's, Canada's popular newsweekly, then printed an article sympathetic to homosexuals. This led to increasing calls to reform Canada's law on homosexuality. Klippert was released in 1971.
Homosexuality was decriminalized in Canada as a result of legislation (Bill C-150 AKA the omnibus bill) introduced in 1967 and passed in 1969 by then-Justice Minister and Attorney General of Canada, Pierre Trudeau (who later became the 15th Prime Minister of Canada). He famously commented, "There's no place for the state in the bedrooms of the nation."[
Maclean's, printed an article sympathetic to homosexuals. This led to increasing calls to reform Canada's law on homosexuality. Klippert was released in 1971.
COMING OUT OF THE CLOSET • At the beginnings of the 1960’s, homosexuality was considered a criminal offence, a mortal sin, and a psychological disorder. • Eventually people began to become more tolerant. • In 1969, Pierre Elliot Trudeau announced that the state had no business in the bedrooms of the nation. He then ushered in legislative changes that removed some of the restrictions against homosexual relationships.
FROM “NO, NO TO A GO-GO” • From book bannings to a smorgasbord of porn. • Some tried to stop this, for example, a Quebec City police chief sent 50 patrolmen out to enforce a law that said that women weren’t permitted to display their thighs in public. He lost this battle to the mini-skirt. • In 1968 the CBC refused to air men’s underwear commercials.
THE PILL • In April 18, 1960 the Birth Control pill was invented in the U.S. One year later the Canadian government approved it for Canadian use. It was still illegal “to sell, advertise, publish an advertisement of or {have} for sale or disposal any means of preventing conception”. Doctors were; therefore, hesitant to give it to patients. It wasn’t until 1965 when UBC provided information to its students about the Pill that word spread about its use. By 1970 almost every woman could get the pill if she wanted to.
THE SEXUAL REVOLUTION • The Pill and opportunities led to an increase in sexual experimentation. (Living with friends after graduation, instead of with surrogate families.) • Well-known authors were speaking out about the glories of sex.
TURN ON, TUNE IN, DROP OUT • In 1962, a Harvard University psychology instructor, Timothy Leary became an LSD Zealot. He spread his word to the youth of North America. • Big name entertainers like Mick Jagger and Bob Dylan sang songs alluding to the joys of taking drugs. • Haight-Ashbury, San Francisco—Summer of Love • Drug use increased. The number of charges laid under the Narcotics Act more than tripled between 1966 and 1968.
The Canadian government appointed a Royal Commission on Drug Use. They recommended the following: • People no longer be charged for merely possessingmarijuana • The penalties for other marijuana offences be reduced • There be no increase in the penalties for other types of drug offences • Drug addicts receive medical treatment rather than court-imposed criminal sanctions • Forget the scare tactics, for they increase drug use.
ROCK ‘N’ ROLL • Powerful beat • Compelling lyrics that had been made famous by black musicians. • Much of the music celebrated the use of psychedelic drugs. • Young people listened to Protest Movement Songs (war in Vietnam, civil rights, the woman’s liberation movement, the gay rights movement, and the environmental movement) (Bob Dylan, Joan Baez. CCR)
THE CANADIAN SCENE • Ian and Sylvia Tyson, Gordon Lightfoot, Leonard Cohen (Suzanne), The Band, The Guess Who (American Woman), and Neil Young were all famous Canadian singers.
WOODSTOCK • August 15 to 17, 1969 the biggest musical event of the 1960’s occurred in Woodstock, New York. • “Three frenzied days of music, pop, acid, grooving, skinny dipping, and lovemaking, along with rain, mud, garbage, broken limbs, dysentery, freak-outs, two deaths, and one birth.” • The brainchild of four hippies. They attracted big-name performers: CCR, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, and Santana to name a few. • They had hoped for an attendance of 75,000, but receive 400,000 young people.
I AM WOMAN • The Pill played an enormous part in making the women’s liberation movement of the 1960’s possible. • In the 1950’s the suburban housewife turned to alcohol or tranquilizers to overcome her unhappy existence. They were the answer to their problems. • At the start of the 60’s women began to make advances in the workforce. (Motivation—the desire to keep up with the Joneses.) TV helped this by constantly showing new inventions.
In 1968, the federal government made it possible for a woman to have an abortion if she could prove the pregnancy was damaging her mental health. • Trudeau’s government liberalized Canada’s divorce laws. Prior to this adultery was the only legal ground for divorce.
RELIGION IS DEAD • The church was no longer an important aspect of peoples’ lives. • However, there were groups who called themselves ‘Jesus People’ (‘Jesus Freaks’ to those who did not like them) who believed they were getting high on Jesus Christ. • There was a lot of searching for the truth. Many turned towards Eastern religions, cults, and even the occult. (Church of Scientology) (Moonies) (Hare Krishna’s)
1960’s and 70’s ‘POP CULTURE’ • Pop culture fads spread like wildfire during the 60’s. WHY? • TV
1952 only 26% of Canadians were able to receive television signals • 1960, 90% of Canadians “ • CTV realized they had to show American programming to be competitive; however, there were some Canadian shows—Mr. Dressup, The Friendly Giant, and The Nature of Things that were popular. • Colour TV was broadcasted in Canada in 1966 even though most felt there was not a demand for it.
Hottest TV shows to debut during the 60’s • The Flintstones • The Beverly Hillbillies • The Fugitive • Addam’s Family • Gilligan’s Island • Star Trek • Mod Squad • The Brady Bunch • Ed Sullivan Show
READY TO WEAR • Your clothing was your message in the 60’s • There was the Jackie Kennedy look—pillbox hats, two piece suits, A-line skirts that fell to the mid-knee, low slung pumps, wrap around sunglasses, and bouffant hairdos. • Younger generation—elephant pants, tie-dyed clothing, granny dresses, granny glasses, go-go boots, bell-bottom pants, long greasy hair, sandals, bare feet, fringed jackets, and miniskirts.
FADS • Troll Dolls • Lava Lamps • Black lights • Day-Glo clothing
DANCE CRAZES • Twist • Mashed Potato • Swim • Watusi
EXPO ’67 • Montreal • Attracted 50 million visitors
SUBURBIA • Cookie-cutter homes • Free of knick knacks • Easy-to-clean surfaces • Strict rules—grass had to be cut once a week etc. • Equipped with the latest appliances • Typical family had 3-4 children
INVENTIONS AND TOYS • 1961, Disposable diapers (10 cents apiece) • Dr. Spock’s Baby and Childcare Book (#2 bestselling title of all time) • Ken • Twister • Yo-yos • GI Joe • Lego • Superball • Frisbees