Chapter 1: Exploring Human
Sexuality: Past and Present
Human Sexuality in a Diverse World
• Define sexuality
• Goals for the course
• Sexual images in our culture
– Media
• History of sexuality
– Evolution
– Ancient civilizations
– Religion
– Early sexual reform movements
What is Sexuality?
• A uniquely human trait
• More than just mating rituals
• Laws, customs, fantasies, art based on sexual
intercourse
• Sexologists – specialize in studying human
sexuality
• Also: biologists, psychologists, physicians,
anthropologists, historians, sociologists, political
scientists, public health
Contradictory and Confusing
• Sexually “repressed” society surrounded by
sexual images
• Believe everyone is sexually active, yet an
uncomfortable discussion topic
• Explore our sexuality vs. moral restrictions
• Diversity in sexual expression
Course Goals
• Broad, accurate knowledge of sexuality
• Know society’s attempts at regulation of your
sexuality
• Identify trends, changes, and many other
influences affecting your attitudes and behaviors
• Understand biological roots and social issues
related to sexuality
• Become more comfortable discussing sex
• Your personal goals
The Impact of the Media
• Surrounded by explicitly or subtly sexual visual
media
• American media are the most sexually
suggestive in the western hemisphere
• Television is full of sexual content
– Dating reality shows
– Talk shows
– Sex-centered shows, like Real Sex
– Advertisements
Reality makeover shows, such as Dr. 90210, The Swan, and Extreme Makeover play upon our physical
insecurities. Television, movies, and advertisements often brain wash us into believing that we can
achieve the perfect body and look with a little help from a plastic surgeon. How far would you go to look
like this woman?
What message do you get from this advertisement? Can you tell what product they are trying to sell?
Do you think sex helps sell this product?
The Impact of the Media
• Internet is changing communication and
relationships
– Offers anonymous information, advice
– Purchase sexual paraphernalia
– Chatrooms devoted to a variety of desires
• Media is second source of sexual information for
American adolescents (Kunkel et al., 2003)
– Watch 14,000 sexual references yearly
– Inaccurate and misleading messages
Early Evolution of Human Sexuality
• Upright posture changed human sexual
intercourse
• Visual cues increased in importance
• Male genitals and female breasts more visible
– Human male has largest penis of all primates
(but not the bigger testicles)
– Female pelvis rotated forward to allow faceto-face intercourse
– Enhanced female stimulation and orgasm
Ancient Mediterranean
• Growth of cities created laws to govern
• Many sexual issues present in writings, art:
– Sexually transmitted infections
– Menstruation
– Circumcision
– Contraception and abortion
– Prostitution
– Adultery
– Erotica
Ancient Mediterranean
• Modern western society influenced by the
interaction of three ancient cultures:
– Hebraic
– Hellenistic (Greek)
– Roman
The Hebrews
• Hebrew Bible had explicit rules
– Forbade adultery
– Forbade male homosexual intercourse
– Forbade incestuous relations
(all in the same degree)
• Discussed sexual misconduct
• Stories of marital love
Greece (1000 – 200 B.C.)
• More sexually permissive than the Hebrews
• Stories of sexual exploits, incest, rape, bestiality
• Distinguished between love and sex
– Aphrodite: goddess of sexual intercourse
– Eros: god of love
• Greek pederasty
• Idealized men and the male form, as well as the
female form
• Sex was a symbol of power
Rome (5th to 7th Century B.C.)
• Marriage and sex were ways to improve
economic and social standing
• Passionate love almost nonexistent
• Few restrictions for early Romans
Ancient Asia
• China
• India
China
• Tao – the basic unity and interdependence of
the universe; comprised of two principles
– Yin: feminine, passive, inexhaustible
– Yang: masculine, assertive, limited
• Man should feed yang with prolonged contact
with yin, without ejaculation
• Best if multiple women, female orgasm
• Sexual instruction and manuals common
• Utilized drugs and sexual devices
India
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Karma – cycle of birth and rebirth
Goal – live a just life, marry, procreate
Marriage – religious and economic obligation
Kamasutra – 3rd-4th century B.C.
– Nature of love
– Good family practices
– Moral guidance in love and sex
– Sexual techniques
Religion
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Early Christianity
Middle Ages
Islam
The Renaissance
The Reformation
Early Christianity
• Jesus – liberal in thinking about sexuality, and its
punishment for transgressions
• Later followers established the dominant
western view of condemnation
• Highest love is that for God
• Celibacy and chastity were idealized
• Association of sexuality with sin
• Sex for procreation only
The Middle Ages
• 1050-1150 sexuality was liberalized
• 1215 – church began confession and penance
• Women changed from a temptress (Eve) to a
model of virtue (Mary)
• Late 15th century – campaign against witchcraft,
women’s insatiable “carnal lust”
• Thomas Aquinas (1200s) argued sex organs
were for procreation; condemned homosexuality
Islam
• Patriarchal society
• Modesty, cover private parts of the body
• Koran likens wives to fields that men should
cultivate as frequently as they want
• All forms of sexuality are permissible
• Harems for wealthy men
• Eunuchs guarded the women from finding
sexual pleasure elsewhere
• Celebrated young boys as the epitome of beauty
Male x Female
the war of the sexes
Female
Male
• Biological investment
• Natural attachment of
the offspring
• Physical power –
protection
• Agricultural society –
first born
• economics
The Renaissance
• Thought shifted from God to human beings
• Women became more educated and
politically involved
• 17th century witchcraft trials based on men’s
fears of women’s sexuality
The Reformation
• Protestantism – early 16th century
• Bible showed obligation to reproduce and have
marital love, instead of valuing celibacy
• Women were men’s partners in all things, not
just to have children
• Allowed divorce
• Companionship was focal in marriage
• Women were weaker than men
• Sex permissible only in marital union
The Enlightenment
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18th century
Prized rational thought over traditional authority
Human nature best understood through study
Sexual reproduction was shown to be a great
evolutionary achievement
• “Free love” and rise in premarital pregnancy and
illegitimate births
• Homosexuality: condemnation and persecution,
then tolerance
The Victorian Era
• Public behavior important, especially to the
upper class
• Conservative sexual attitudes, not always
practiced
• Male chivalry
• Women virtuous, delicate, vulnerable
• Sexual indulgence was believed to cause many
illnesses
• Courtly love and prostitution
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, many doctors taught that masturbation was harmful, and so
devices, such as the two barbed rings and the shock box shown here, were created to keep childrenespecially boys-from achieving unwanted erections.
Sex in American History
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The Colonies
United States – New World
19th century
20th century
The Colonies
• Puritans had severe sanctions for sexual
transgressions
• Sexuality was natural within marriage
• Bundling for young, courting couples
United States – New World
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Church’s power diminished
Right to personal happiness, sexual liberation
Brothels, contraception, abortive medicines
Sexuality embraced within marriage, and without
Female indentured servants and slaves were
commonly raped
• Myth of slave promiscuity
• Sexuality of minorities was used to oppress
them
The 19th Century
• 1820s free love movement
• 1852 – Mormons announce practicing polygamy
• End of 19th century – Medical model of sexuality
– Women ruled by their wombs; ovarectomies
– John Kellogg’s sanitarium
– Homosexuality an illness, not a sin
• Comstock Act of 1873 – prohibited mailing
obscene writing or ads, including contraceptive
information and artwork containing nudity
The 20th Century
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Social hygiene movement
Sexology
Feminism
Gay Liberation
The Social Hygiene Movement
• Virtuous women were catching STIs from
husbands sleeping with prostitutes
– Began requiring blood tests before marriage
– Prostitution arrests by law enforcement
• Early advocates of sex education in schools for
boys and girls
Sexology
• Scientific pursuit to understand human
sexuality
• Kinsey – American sexual behavior
• Masters and Johnson – sexual response
physiology
Feminism
• Sanger – “It is none of society’s business what a
woman shall do with her body”
– Published birth control literature, violating the
Comstock act
– Public outrage caused the case to be dropped
– Opened birth control clinic that became the
Planned Parenthood organization
Gay Liberation
• Homosexuals viewed as perverts preying on
youth
• Many medical “cures” attempted
• 1969 – Police raided Stonewall, a gay bar, and
the gay community resisted for the first time
• APA removed homosexuality from the DSM
• 1970s gay liberation
• 1980s AIDS epidemic
• Gay marriage controversy
Sex politics
• Sex used as a platform for votes.\
• Family values
• Culture wars
Dr. Ignaz Semmelweis
Semmelweis effect
