1990s

In the nineties, generation XXX was edgy. Video games, movies, and movements were edgy. Sexual stimulation repeatedly to the cusp of release then stopping in increasing intensity is edging. And most of all, the 90s punk scene was edgy. There was spikey hair and clothes, edgy lyrics, and the sexual antics of the Riot Grrrl movement. Like all punk, it started in England with the band Rockbitch which was the first to have explicit penetrative sex on stage as part of their performances. They employed free love by throwing a golden card into the audience and letting whoever caught it fuck them on stage in front of the audience. In 1990 Liz Nayor formed the Riot Grrrl label for managing the new band Bikini Kill. Joan Jett and Siouxsie Sioux soon joined and the underground movement in Washington and it soon spread across the country. The movement as a whole was undergirded by the philosophy, stated by writers like Terri Sutton or Rockbitch bassist 'Babe', that rock and roll is inherently sexual and lustful, and that feminism needed to permit female sexual expression. This was still feared in America for the uncontrollable urges it might cause in men.

The movement escaped punk to all forms of rock such as Salt n' Peppa, the Spice Girls, and especially Britney Spears. Britney Spears and playboy actress Pamela Anderson became free love icons for their hypersexual performances. This return to porno-chic through exhibitionism, led by music, pervaded the popular culture. Peta launched the 'Go Naked than Wear Fur' campaign, first securing the Go-Gos, then many other big celebrities to the cause. Infamously they would use the stop and frisk law to strip other celebrities in public. Jerk Off Instruction became popularized when prudes were protested by openly encouraging men to take joy in masturbating to them. These tactics would be dubbed ‘sexual terrorism’. Dita Von Teese, in contrast, a burlesquer and fetish icon launched a lingerie line featuring the quiet elegance of pin-up and flappers and especially corsets as outerwear. In interviews her shy and submissive self made for a less off-putting alternative to edge-based exhibitionism. Her wild popularity brought in BDSM such as the Leather Archives museum in Chicago, Versace's 1992 collection, and Michelle Pfeiffer as the dominatrix Catwoman. BDSM gained popularity in its association with class and sophistication. This soft approach was epitomized by the 'Disney Princess' persona.

In 1990 author Naomi Wolf at the end of 'The Beauty Myth' promised a third wave of feminism, a promise that American women delivered. The book saw outward sexuality and masturbation as means of being 'in touch' with one's own sexuality. It challenged the notion that women desire the platonic ideal of beauty, but instead sex appeal. This facilitated a shift from fashionable to fuckable. Changes in government occurred, first small such as NYC implementing 'Stop and Frisk' which granted free use groping or 'frisking'. The Nude and Breast Freedom Parade protested for undressing women. The Silver Springs Supreme Court case legally recognized pet play and voluntary sexual slavery. Federal protections were strengthened for including sexual acts in job descriptions.

The Magnum silicone dildo challenged American perceptions and definitions of masturbation at the same time congress was examining masturbation, especially for men, as a means to manage sexual urges. This led to the landmark **** Against Women Act which distinguished between sexual assaults and public masturbation, legalizing the latter. It's 'Don't ask, don't tell' policy created a new form of free use involving only saying no to men who ask for consent. The legalization of public masturbation came the same year as widespread internet which together caused a cascade that most historians describe as the 'porn renaissance.' Women began to compete with each other to be the immediate objects of male masturbation. Joycelyn Elders, the surgeon general, recommended that masturbation should be required in schools. Instead in 1996 'Take Our Daughters to Work Day' was debuted to acclimate young women to the hypersexual nature of sex work.

Other advancements include the creation of the national holidays of Erotic Massage Day and Masturbation Day. Annie Sprinkle began masturbating with her students in her sexual education classes. This celebration of sexuality inspired the Sexual Freedom Awards for the exhibition of sex-political exhibitionists such as Rockbitch, Annie Sprinkle, and most importantly Janet Hardy. Janet, in her book 'The Ethical Slut', encapsulated the 90s mentality of redefining woman as not just participating in sexuality, but being inherently sexual. The desexualized woman, whether by herself or another she considered inherently unethical. Her rebranding of woman as a slutty bitch has been recognized as the foundation of all modern free use, more-so than the Sexual Revolution, for verbalizing a vision of womanhood untainted by the Victorian misperceptions of the notions of love, ****, and virginity. The notion of the ‘twin spheres’ was attacked by the ‘personal in political’ but Janet demonstrated that it didn’t conflict with free love, but in fact was key to facilitating its fulfillment.

For fashion this meant that new lines such as Intimissimi and Agent Provocateur encouraged the constant visibility instead of lingerie instead of a sexy secret to reveal. Their ads were graphically sexual and included lingerie fetishes. Sexy Halloween costumes were replaced by full lingerie. The thong became popular as well as micro-miniskirts and sagging to show them off. Starting with Juicy many brands included graphic self-sexualizing language on their articles. Raves, a new form of pseudo-private orgy led to the aesthetics of pasties and body glitter. These orgies prominently featured EDM music like E-Rotic and dances that outright incoprated sex such as the 'bump n' grind'. Victoria Secret, an empire built on sexuality, launched their 'Angels' brand. It included free use spokeswomen starting with Tyra Banks among others and the inclusion of free use of their store employees. This coincided with the VS Fashion Show which public broadcast the models being free use for top celebrities. This personal approach was in line with the zeitgeist of sexual personhood. Tyra also had a Talkshow which included explicit sex which in rivalry with Oprah caused the other to do the same.

Movies and television, now on cheap DVDs, went the way of the internet, featuring explicit sex, most prominently 'girls gone wild' and 'sex and the city', the latter of which examined the personal lives of four New Yorker women from different perspectives of freeuse. One of the characters' constant masturbation was used for product placement of the new Rabbit Habit, with fuck-bunny a reference to both playboy and the constant sexual activity of rabbits. Sarah Michelle Gellar would become a gay icon for her roles sexualizing other women. Her role in Buffy helped to reignite the sexy vampire archetype. Comedies grew increasingly popular with their inclusion of more sexual humor and an emphasis on younger characters. That same year Britney Spears released 'Hit Me Baby One More Time', inspired by the recent federal legalization of corporal BDSM. It has left lasting legacy in fetish culture, schoolgirl aesthetics, and is still regularly recreated.

In this heightening sexual culture, the Monica Lewinsky scandal dominated every headline. Monica, a free use intern of Bill Clinton, was caught publicly sucking him off in a state where that was still illegal. Clinton was impeached for his use of presidential power to avoid any legal repercussion. He was not only acquitted but used the publicity to federally decriminalize public oral sex. Blowjobs and the results of one became a feminist emblem like in the 20s prior and came to dominate media throughout the year 1999. Few other fetishes saw a spotlight other than MILF as popularized by American Pie. Semen facials were marketed as a skin-care cosmetic. The 'Blowjobs are Beautiful' and 'Fuck me until I'm Pretty' political campaigns were launched. Natte Latte became the first outdoor blowjob café. Varsity Blues became more re-watched for its 'wanked cream bikini' made of fake cum than is actual sex scenes. Brandi Chastain in her euphoria over her Fifa cup victory immediately ripped off her uniform and began, first with the referee, sucking off as many cocks and she could. And to 'finish off' the decade artists like Liz Phair and Lil' Kim had the first top songs performed with fellatio amidst (now called a 'hummer'. The lyrics of 'Hot White Cum' and 'How Many Licks' were themselves also about blowjobs.

As Americans went from women to sluts they stopped wearing underwear and started showing off lingerie. They went from flashing men to sucking them off in the streets. They went from 'men must masturbate' to cock-pockets and cum dumpsters calling it creepy. Sexuality went from an occasional permission women received to a constant state of being that they demanded.