ORF-E
German in English Subtitle
1 x 52 min
Worldwide

In the second half of the 20th century, love, sex and partnership were liberated from many taboos. This liberated women in particular. Then commercialism often gained the upper hand. Today, commercialization, the search for identity and a new prudishness prevail. The liberation from all social and moral shackles that was sought at the time remained utopian. After the Second World War, sexual morals were dominated by taboos and threatening messages: Those who satisfied themselves allegedly risked spinal cord atrophy or rotting hands. The female orgasm received virtually no attention. Sometimes it was even considered harmful. Clearly divided gender roles and romanticized domesticity were the predominant way of life. Homosexuality was pathologized and criminalized. And even if the first pin-ups of American GIs took men’s fantasies to an unimagined level: sexuality was – at least on the surface – unfree.