Slide 3

Before understanding the concept of counterculture we reckon considering the culture of the
period the counterculture emerge to be standing as one of the main resoning for it to appear
and make a great turn in American history and be the ground for numerous art, political and
cultural movements.
Thus, let me briefly walk you throught the period during which the new generations, which
soon will become the voice of the countre culture, grew up.
1)During 1950-1960 we can observe the lack of transparency from the government leading
to rising distrust pf authority, especially among those who came of age during the period of
Cold War, 1960 U-2 incident(Dwight D. Eisenhower' US spied on USSR)- government
being caught in a blatant lie at the highest levels) The assassination of US President John F.
Kennedy in November 1963
2) The greatlu promoted culture of Fitting in was despised by the new generation
3) Many social issues fueled the growth of the larger counterculture movement. One was
a nonviolent movement in the United States seeking to resolve civil constitutional
rights illegalities, especially regarding general racial segregation,
longstanding disfranchisement of Black people in the South by white-dominated state
government, and ongoing racial discrimination in jobs, housing, and access to public places
in both the North and the South. Environmentalism grew from a greater understanding of
the ongoing damage caused by industrialization, resultant pollution,
4)The TV brought horrifying, moving images of the bloody reality of armed conflict into
living rooms for the first time.
The breakdown of enforcement of the US Hays Code concerning censorship in motion
picture production, the use of new forms of artistic expression in European and Asian
cinema, and the advent of modern production values heralded a new era of art-
house, pornographic, and mainstream film production, distribution, and exhibition.
Previously under-regarded FM radio replaced AM radio as the focal point for the ongoing
explosion of rock and roll music, and became the nexus of youth-oriented news and
advertising for the counterculture generation.
Slide 4
Thus, when speaking today of “counterculture,” we usually think of the 1960s — one of the
most tumultuous decades in American history, characterized by a radical, rebellious spirit to
fight injustice of all kinds, accompanied with an unflinching faith in change. Indeed, change
was brought about in many forms: identity, social structure, family unit, sexuality and more.
In 1969, America dealt with the Vietnam War, Civil Rights Movement, and the draft, which
were political issues that affected young Americans. These revolutionary events birthed the
Counterculture Era, an anti-establishment movement that spurted new groups who opposed
the “all-American” ideals such as commercialism, capitalism, war, societal standards, and
1950s norms. Counterculture groups include hippies', feminists, anti-war activists, and civil
rights campaigners.
Slide 5
The movement was perhaps best encapsulated by the phrase “turn on, tune in, drop out,”
coined by the American psychologist Timothy Leary, who demonstrated contempt for
authority and championed the use of LSD and other psychoactive drugs. U.S. Pres. Richard
Nixon famously called Leary “the most dangerous man in America.”
The counterculture movement featured artists such as Andy Warhol, who was famous for
his Pop art works. Adherents advocated freedom of expression and a distrust of those in
power.
 Campbell's Soup Cans and Coca-Cola paintings-challenged the established
notions of what could be considered artistic, reflecting the consumer-driven
culture of the 1960s.
 Warhol's studio, known as "The Factory"-embodied the spirit of counterculture
by promoting collaboration, inclusivity, and a rejection of traditional artistic
hierarchies.
Slide 6
 Political Commentary: "Race Riot" series depicted the violence and struggles of the
Civil Rights Movement, offering a commentary on racial inequality.
 Political Commentary: "Race Riot" series depicted the violence and struggles of the
Civil Rights Movement, offering a commentary on racial inequality.
Slide 7
In the 1950s and the 1960s, the Gay community faced very strong repression and anti-gay
juridical context. Considered to be mentally ill, homosexuals were barred from working for
the government and were often rejected when applying for any job. Between 1947 and
1950, 4,380 men had been expelled from the United States military. Underground gay bars
were often subject to raids, in which multiple men and women were arrested and sent to jail,
they would be treated by electroshock therapy in the hopes of ridding them of this “disease.
. At the end of the 1960s the counterculture movement was causing fueling the rise of the
anti-war movement, Civil Rights movement (Black Panthers), and feminist movement,
which all inspired the Gay community to organize themselves and fight back.
Although the raids in gay bars were usually considered routine, on June 28, 1969, the raid
that took place at the Stonewall Inn bar in Greenwich Village did not go as planned. This
raid differed from previous raids because gays, lesbians, and drag queens fought back. They
struck back with garbage, glasses, bricks and parking meters. The Stonewall raid led to five
days of restless confrontations and riots between the Gay community. This chaos led to the
birth of the Gay Liberation Movement.
Slide 8
After the Stonewall riots and the Gay Liberation Front (GLF) multiple homophile groups
formed across the country. The activists of the GLF wanted to ally themselves with the
Black Panther, Civil Rights and Anti-Vietnam war groups. In the year of 1970, the Black
Panthers affirmed their support for the gay liberation movement. In 1971, the Gay
Liberation movement joined the anti-war movement to protest against the Vietnam war.
Slide 9
Following the Stonewall riots the Gay liberation movement progressively won victories and
made considerable changes. In June 1970, the first gay pride parade was held in New York
to commemorate the Stonewall riots with approximately two hundred people in attendance.
In 1973, the American Psychiatric Association agreed to remove homosexuality from its list
of mental disorders. The same year, Harvey Milk, ran for city supervisor in San Francisco
as the first openly gay candidate.
More and more businesses began to target the gay community. The success of the
movement led entrepreneurs in every major city to open bars, restaurants, nightclubs, and
shops that offered social services for a new clientele. The socioeconomic concentration of
the gay population eventually led to the foundation of districts, also known as gay
“ghettos”.
The two years following the Stonewall riots was also marked by the creation of gay
liberation newspapers in Los Angeles (Advocate), New York (Come Out !), San Francisco
(Gay Sunshine), Boston (Fag Rag), and Detroit (Gay Liberation). With the press the
movement became more of a major institution. In part, the freedom and acceptance of
sexuality inspired during the counterculture led to the organization of the Gay Rights
movement, allowing gay men and women to spread their concerns and fight for future
acceptance.
Slide 10
The feminist counterculture was closely tied to the Women's Liberation Movement of the
1960s and 1970s. Activists during this time were challenging traditional gender roles and
advocating for women's rights, including reproductive rights, equal pay, and the right to be
free from discrimination.
1. Communal Living and Women's Collectives: Many feminists involved in
counterculture experimented with communal living arrangements, forming women-
only households or collectives. These spaces were designed to be free from
patriarchal norms, and they often emphasized shared responsibilities and decision-
making.
Lemke-Santangelo^ In some instances, such as women-only cooperative housing,
women began “kicking the men out of their communities entirely, and claiming
leadership roles.”
What that meant in practice was not disavowing domestic tasks but reinventing
them: the back-to-the-land movement and creation of communes saw women
 learning how to mix cement and frame roofs; they grew their own food, raised farm
animals, made raw cheese. Women also led the way in environmentalist
movements like bioregionalism, and holistic healthcare fields like midwifery and
alternative medicine. They built free schools, food distribution programs, youth
shelters and co-ops; and brought Eastern spiritual practices like yoga and meditation
into the mainstream. In a lot of ways, says Lemke-Santangelo, “They were kind of
the forerunners.”
2. Alternative Media and Publications: Feminist counterculture gave rise to alternative
media and publications that provided platforms for women's voices. Magazines like
"Ms. Magazine," founded in 1972 by feminist activists including Gloria Steinem,
played a crucial role in disseminating feminist ideas and challenging mainstream
representations of women.
3. Art and Culture: The feminist counterculture had a significant impact on the arts and
culture. Women artists and writers sought to challenge traditional gender roles
through their work. This period saw the emergence of feminist art movements and
the promotion of women's voices in literature and film.
Guerrilla Girls
Throughout the 1980s, Feminist Art collective Guerrilla Girls questioned the
proliferation of female nude art in the Western canon, demanding equitable female
representation. The cooperative formed as a riposte to MoMA’s An International
Survey of Recent Painting and Sculpture exhibition in 1984. Out of the 169 artists
shown, only 13 were women. Guerrilla Girls followed in the footsteps of street
artists and activists, incorporating graphic posters, typography and print into their
campaigns. They often hijacked major advertising spaces in New York City too.
4. Political Activism: Feminist counterculture was closely linked to political activism.
Women participated in protests and demonstrations for issues such as reproductive
rights, equal rights, and an end to gender-based violence. The feminist
counterculture played a key role in pushing for legal changes, including the passage
of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA).
The Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) is a proposed amendment to the U.S.
Constitution that would, if added, explicitly prohibit sex discrimination. It was
written by Alice Paul and Crystal Eastman and introduced in Congress in December
1923 as a proposed amendment to the United States Constitution.The purpose of
the ERA is to guarantee equal legal rights for all American citizens regardless of sex.
Proponents assert it would end legal distinctions between men and women in
matters of divorce, property, employment, and other matters.Opponents originally
argued it would remove protections that women needed. In the 21st century
opponents argue it is no longer needed and some fear it would protect abortion,
and transgender rights.
 With the rise of the women's movement in the United States during the 1960s, the
ERA garnered increasing support, and, after being reintroduced by Representative
Martha Griffiths in 1971, it was approved by the U.S. House of Representatives on
October 12, 1971, and by the U.S. Senate on March 22, 1972, thus submitting the
ERA to the state legislatures for ratification, as provided by Article V of the U.S.
Constitution.
5. Reproductive Rights and Sexual Liberation: The counterculture also emphasized
reproductive rights and sexual liberation. Activists fought for access to birth control,
abortion rights, and the freedom to make choices about one's own body. This aspect
of the movement was a response to restrictive societal norms regarding women's
sexuality.
The emphasis on physical acceptance provided women with an alternative to
consumer standards ofbeauty. The Hippie appearance rejected packaged
flawlessness and the expense involved in achieving it. Self-expressiveness,
naturalness, variety and even sloppiness were encouraged. With the abolition of a
single standard of female attractiveness, women with big noses, frizzy hair and large
bodies could be 'beautiful'.