The counter cultural movement started on the background of Vietnam War. It was a post-war generation as a result of baby boom. The young people were frustrated due to racism, gender issues, consumerism, and the conservative nature of the society in general. They were looking for a change and they found it in emerging counter cultural movements of 1960s. The youngsters began to question the traditional values and culture. They had questioned the consumerist American culture and followed a life style contrary to the orthodox American society. They welcomed sex, drugs and pop music. In order to form a better world, many of them sought after music, politics, and alternate life styles. The effects of these revolutionary ideas can be seen even today in United States.
The counter culture movement reached its heights in 1969, when young people attended the Woodstock Music and Art Festival at Newyork. The festival became a symbol of anti-war movement. The festival was a mixture of hippie, pop and drug culture.
One of the notable features of the counter culture was the sexual freedom. It resulted in different kinds of birth control methods. Oral contraceptives, IUDs, and diaphragms became popular. There was a steep rise in abortions, orphans and divorce.
The rise of feminism was an important part of the counter culture. It began with the publication of Betty Friedan's "The Feminine Mystique" in 1963. It was a wake up call to women to come out from their traditional role as wife and mother. Women began to attend colleges in large numbers and engaged in many jobs. There were feminine writers such as Gloria Steinem and Slyvia Plath who fought for the equality of women. In the long run, it led to the rise of political activism on the part of women. One such example was the formation of National organization for Women (NOW). Other than women, homosexuals also raised their voice for equality. In 1969, an effort of the Newyork police to close down the StoneWall Inn led to riots. It led to further political activism on the part of gays and resulted in the formation of Gay Liberation Front. Later it became national civil right issue.
The counter cultural sentiments were also expressed in movies. Movies like Apocalypse, The Deer Hunter, Platoon, Born on the Fourth July exposed the horrors of Vietnam war. These movies were filled with sex and violence.
In the field of art, Andy Warhol produced a new kind of art known as the Pop Art. This art form concentrated on everyday items.
Some of the great musicians of the period were Elvis Presley, Boby Darin, Del Shannon, Frankie Avalon, and Paul Anka. Counter culture movement did not limit in North America alone, but it spread to Western Europe, Australia and New Zealand. An international rock and roll group from Britain known as Beatles became popular.
The counter cultural movement in 1960s was an open rebellion against the established traditions of the society. It had merits and demerits. One the one hand, it stood against the cold war, on the other hand, it rebelled against the traditions of America. The same revolution continues today unabated. It can be seen in the freedoms given for lesbians and homosexuals today. Numerous people who are marginalized were benefited by counter culture attitude. We have seen anti-war protests against the recent War on Iraq.