Generation X is made up of people born from roughly the mid-1960s to the late 1970s (or early 1980s). They are often the parents of Gen Z, and sometimes Millennials. They were children in the 70s and 80s, and adolescents/young adults in the 80s and 90s.
They are often seen as a forgotten generation. Between Baby Boomers and Millennials, two largely discussed generations, Gen X tends to be forgotten.
Some characteristics and events from the childhood and adolescence of Gen X are rising divorce rates & participation of women in the workforce, conservative & neoliberal turn in politics, the crack & AIDS epidemics, the rise of home computers, and their being the post-Civil Rights generation. In their young adulthood, they experienced continued growth in college enrollments, adjusting to a new societal environment, the "birth of the slacker", the rise of the internet, and the response to 9/11.
Some pop culture and media moments that are important to Gen X are the prime-time of MTV, the rise of various alternative rock genres (notably: punk rock, hard rock, post-punk, grunge) and hip hop music, and the rise of indie films. Bigger film movements that were important were John Hughes's films and the creation of franchise mega sequels such as Star Wars and Halloween.