To me, "sexual freedom" means freedom from having to have sex.

Lily Tomlin’s quip reframes “sexual freedom” away from a purely permissive ideal (the freedom to have sex) toward autonomy and consent (the freedom not to). The line highlights how social expectations—whether conservative or ostensibly liberated—can pressure people into sexual activity as a marker of normalcy, desirability, or sophistication. By defining freedom as release from obligation, Tomlin underscores that genuine liberation includes the right to set boundaries, decline, or be uninterested without stigma. The humor works by flipping a familiar slogan, but the point is serious: sexual agency is measured not by frequency or openness, but by the ability to choose without coercion or performance.