In case you didn’t know, September is Sexual Health Awareness Month, and today, World Sexual Health Day. So, happy World Sexual Health Day, everyone! Perhaps it’s not too late to inform your boss you’ll be taking the holiday off.
We thought we’d celebrate by taking a proud look back at just how far we’ve come as a culture in our views on sex. Throughout Western history, sex has gotten a bad rap, often seen as a means to an end, something only men should enjoy, or sinful. But luckily—all of that has changed now. In 2024, we’re all totally sexually liberated and accepting of each other’s choices, and sexual shame and stigmatization are a thing of the past.
(Totally kidding. The West* is still super messed up around sex.)
So without further ado, a trip down memory lane, i.e., our collective inherited sexual trauma.
*We’ll be looking at how sex has been viewed throughout history, focusing on Western Culture here. Views on sex differ throughout the world, and focusing on anything more would simply be too much to cover for now.
Prehistory (before c. 3000 B.C.E.)
Human anatomy hasn’t changed too drastically over the years, so most scientists and historians believe that if we’re having sex for fun now, we probably were then too. As Professor David Buss said in a Live Science article, “People and indeed all animals are hard wired to seek out sex and to continue to do so. I imagine that is evidence that people at least like[d] sex and even if they [didn’t] they engage[d] in it as a biological imperative.” We don’t really know how people viewed sex, though.
Ancient Times (c. 3000 B.C.E. to c. 400 C.E.)
Ancient Greece
Aphrodisiac, eroticism, homosexuality, narcissism, nymphomania: All of these words come from Ancient Greece, which tells you a little something about their culture. From the sixth century (BCE) to the early fourth century (CE), the Greeks had a very liberal view on sex.
There is evidence of late night parties filled with homosexual and heterosexual fun, group sex, sex toys, nudity, and tons of porn. Homosexuality was largely accepted as one of the “purest” forms of love.
Unfortunately, even during this time of sexual freedom, women’s pleasure was not prioritized. In fact, sex for women was largely seen as an act of procreation, unless it was for work—as sex work was highly in demand.
Ancient Rome
Before Emperor Constantine decriminalized Christianity, in 313 CE, the Romans were polytheistic, worshiping many gods and spirits. These gods must have been a lot cooler about sex, because just like the Greeks, Romans were sexually liberal—and debaucherous—before Christianity came along. They would have raucous Bacchanalian festivals, sex work was highly in demand, homosexuality was fully acceptable, and birth control was even a hot topic. Still, women’s pleasure was not seen as important, and women were considered the property of their husbands. Unfortunately, the Middle Ages would not make things any better for women.
The Middle Ages (c. 400 C.E. to c. 1400 C.E.)
By the time 400 CE rolled around, Christianity (Catholicism) was in full effect in the West, which marked a huge shift in how people viewed sex. Lust and sex became associated with the “original sin” of Adam and Eve, and gone were the days of sex parties. Instead sexual intercourse, masturbation, oral sex, sex work, sex in any position other than missionary, and certainly homosexuality were all deemed sinful and punishable by the Catholic Church. Only sex within marriage was tolerated and expected—for reproductive purposes. Contraception was banned for its association with pleasure.
The Renaissance (c. 1400 to 1600)
The Renaissance started out with a bang—a huge syphilis epidemic across Europe, which showed us that people were not as chaste as the Church would have liked. Brothels and prostitution were still happening (especially in Southwark, London), and seen as a “necessary evil” by the Church, where at least all the sin was “contained.”
Nudity of both men and women was starting to be “okay” again, as was homosexuality in certain circles. That said, this is when a “Buggery Act” was introduced for the first time (1533), making sex between men publishable by death, but it was rarely acted upon.
Some books during the Renaissance describe the dangers and “excitement” of sexual perversion, which is a notable move away from the “sex = sinful” tone of the Middle Ages.
*Note: It is during the Renaissance and into the Enlightenment Period that America is colonized by the English. They largely brought their views on sex along with them. And their syphilis.
The Early Modern Period (c. 1600 - 1800)
The Enlightenment
Between about 1688 to 1789, Europe (and America) entered into a period called The Enlightenment. This was a time of new ideas, discoveries, and ways of thinking—including about sex. Published in the 1680s, Aristotle's Masterpiece, argued that women should actually enjoy sex. Views on homosexuality moved away from “sinful,” to something more “unnatural and unfortunate” that just couldn’t be helped.
The Romantic Period
Between 1750 and 1832-ish, the West entered into its “Romantic Period,” which as you might guess, was a good time for sex. During this time, the vibe moved from the hyper-intellectual and rational Enlightenment, to focusing more on emotions. Sex during this time was seen as something pleasurable, passionate and, yes, romantic—between two people who love each other. In America, sex before marriage was common during this time, and sex was even regarded as good for one’s health.
The Modern Period (after c. 1800)
The Victorian Era
According to an article in The Independent, the Victorian Era was simply “the most rotten age there has ever been for sexuality.” This is because during the Victorian Era, in both Europe and America, restraint and puritanism was the name of the game. This was a time of “polite” society, where cleanliness was godliness and cursing or any overt sexuality was taboo. In fact, the terms “white and dark meat” came from this time so people wouldn’t have to use the words “breasts” or “legs” at the dinner table; and chair legs were even covered with cloth so they wouldn’t be “unseemly.” Once-a-month sex was seen as plenty, and it was considered the woman’s duty to her husband.
Because of this extreme prudishness behind closed doors, sex work was absolutely rampant during this time—and violence toward sex workers grew. Some theorize this was because sex was shameful and women who had sex freely were considered sinful. So the “women of the night” were being punished. In fact, it was during the Victorian Era that Jack the Ripper famously roamed London’s streets, killing sex workers.
The Victorian Era is not the first time we’ve seen a double standard in how sexually active men and women are viewed—but it was one of the times during history it was the most pronounced. Women were suddenly desexualized and the enjoyment of sex was an exclusively male domain.
Late 1800s / Early 1900s
The work of early sexologists like Sigmund Freud and Richard von Krafft-Ebing in the late 1800s and early 1900s created a different model of sexuality, focused on science and psychology rather than religion. This helped garner a more liberal attitude toward sex, but let’s not get it twisted—it was by no means a “liberal” time.
The Roaring 20s
The 20s brought us a mini-sexual revolution of sorts. Sex before marriage became more mainstream, contraceptives were on the rise, and “petting parties” kicked off. These weren’t the raucous orgies of the Ancient Greeks; these were usually fully clothed makeout sessions with heavy petting. Unfortunately, during this time, flappers and other women were seen as seductresses, tempting the “good boys of society.” One mother complained in a New York Times article in 1922, “The boys of today must be protected from the young girl vamp.” Ah, the good ol’ double standard.
The 40s / 50s
During this time, the sexual revolution continued—albeit very quietly and behind closed doors. After all, most Americans still identified as either Catholic or Protestant, and premarital sex was not condoned. However, it was happening Post World War II; it’s just that nobody would talk about it openly.
Women’s pleasure was still ignored—or regarded as a complete mystery—and they were largely thought of as beautiful sexual pinups. Playboy came out in 1953, cementing the idea that women’s bodies were for men.
The 1960s / 70s
Finally, a sexual revolution we can get behind. The 60s and 70s saw revolutions across the board for young people in America—including around sexual stigmatization. During this time, young people railed against the norms and “free love” and premarital sex became an act of rebellion. Sex was thought of as inherently good, and women’s pleasure was finally a real topic of discussion.
But still, sex was viewed differently for men and women. Men were praised for having multiple partners, and women were seen as “sluts” for adopting the exact same attitudes men had. Also, homosexuality was pathologized—considered by the American Psychiatric Association to be a psychiatric disorder.
The 80s and 90s
The 80s and 90s saw many new challenges associated with sex. After the more liberated and free 60s and 70s, the 80s saw a sharp pullback in conservative ideology for many people– including regarding sex. This was also during the height of the AIDS epidemic in the United States, which resulted in many people fearing not only sex, but homosexuality as well. Rumors, plus a lack of education about the disease, resulted in rampant homophobia in the 80s and into the 90s—and many of these harmful ideologies still exist today.
The 90s may have seemed like a more sexually liberated time on the surface– but again, things were far from equal among genders. It was the decade of Pamela Anderson, Carmen Electra, Jenny McCarthy, a young Britney Spears—women were expected to be extremely sexy and were perpetually sexualized. But when women were sexual, they were dragged through the mud. (Think Monica Lewinsky.) When men sexualized those women– they were easily forgiven, or even lauded. (Think Bill Clinton.)
The 21st Century
At the turn of the 21st century, things are finally–finally– getting better. Sex is the least stigmatized for all genders and sexualities as it has ever been in Western History. Yes, the Ancients were freaks, but still, women’s pleasure and autonomy were not considered at that time.
At the turn of the century, shows like Sex and the City helped introduce the world to the idea that women experience sexual pleasure and have desires, too. This trend has continued over the years in other more female-centered shows, movies, magazines, books, etc. Views around gender and sexuality in general have become more educated and accepting. And everything is resolved, and there is no more sexual shame or stigmatization. Right?
Today
There is still a lot of work to be done to destigmatize sex—especially in certain pockets of the population, and especially when it comes to educating people about pleasure and consent. Earlier this year, a study published in the journal Sexuality & Culture found that people with a higher “body count” are still evaluated less favorably. And still men and women are not treated the same. But for the first time ever, in this study, men were judged more harshly for having a “higher body count,” than women.
We hope this is the decade of getting to a place where pleasure and choices are celebrated for all genders and sexualities. We may have some work to do to get there, but with more discourse, education, and things like World Sexual Health Month, we are certainly on the right track.
A note on sex and gender: Sex and gender exists on spectrums, and this article uses terms like “male” or “female” to refer to sex assigned at birth. Learn more.
