Category: History & Culture - Page 3

Stag Films (1900s-1940s): The Underground Pornographic Movies That Shaped Modern Adult Cinema

Nov 6 2025 / History & Culture

Stag films were underground pornographic movies made in secret from 1915 to 1968, shown in all-male gatherings and distributed through covert networks. They shaped the foundation of modern adult cinema.

Quranic 'Tilth' Metaphor: What It Really Means About Marriage and Gender

Nov 5 2025 / History & Culture

Quran 2:223's 'tilth' metaphor is often misunderstood as objectifying women, but it's actually a call for responsible, nurturing marriage rooted in 7th-century agricultural wisdom and spiritual accountability.

Aquinas’s Procreative Logic: How Medieval Theology Ranked Sexual Sins by Procreation

Nov 1 2025 / History & Culture

Thomas Aquinas ranked sexual sins by how much they blocked procreation-not by harm or consent. His medieval logic shaped Catholic teaching for 700 years and still influences Church doctrine today.

Egyptian Erotic Papyri: Comic Sex Scenes and Sacred Satire

Oct 31 2025 / History & Culture

The Turin Erotic Papyrus, created around 1150 BCE, is the oldest known explicit sexual artwork in human history. Far from being pornographic, it's a satirical comedy that reveals ancient Egyptians' open, humorous, and complex relationship with sex.

The History of Prostitution and Commercialized Sexuality: From Ancient Temples to Modern Laws

Oct 31 2025 / History & Culture

From ancient temple rites to Nevada brothels and digital platforms, the history of prostitution reveals how society has regulated, punished, and profited from commercialized sexuality across centuries.

Havelock Ellis and William Acton: How Victorian Medicine Pathologized and Later Humanized Desire

Oct 31 2025 / History & Culture

Havelock Ellis and William Acton shaped how Victorian medicine viewed desire-one pathologized it, the other studied it. Their clash laid the groundwork for modern sexology and continues to influence how we understand sexuality today.

Medical Views on Masturbation: How Anxiety, Morality, and Myths Shaped Modern Health Beliefs

Oct 29 2025 / History & Culture

Masturbation was once called a deadly sin by Victorian doctors-but today, science confirms it’s safe and even beneficial. This article breaks down the myths, the medical facts, and why shame still lingers despite the evidence.

Henry de Bracton and the Real Medieval View on Abortion

Oct 29 2025 / History & Culture

Henry de Bracton’s medieval view on abortion wasn’t about banning all abortions-it was about quickening, theology, and protecting male heirs. Modern claims that he supported total bans ignore the full legal context.

The Mann Act (1910): How a Moral Panic Criminalized Interracial Relationships and Shaped Federal Power

Oct 28 2025 / History & Culture

The Mann Act of 1910 was meant to stop sex trafficking but became a tool to criminalize interracial relationships and consensual sex. Jack Johnson's case exposed its racial bias, and its vague language led to decades of misuse.

Roman Sex Work Categories: Meretrices, Lupae, and Tabernae Differentiation

Oct 28 2025 / History & Culture

Roman sex work was legal, taxed, and strictly categorized. Meretrices were registered workers with limited rights, lupae were unregistered street workers with no protection, and tabernae were the brothels where it all happened. This system reflected Rome’s complex views on gender, class, and power.

Medieval Brothels Beyond City Walls: How Cities Tolerated Sex Work

Oct 27 2025 / History & Culture

Medieval cities didn't ban prostitution-they controlled it. Brothels outside city walls were licensed, taxed, and strategically placed near ports and gates. This system of tolerance lasted for centuries before religious reforms shut it down.

Marriage as Economic Alliance: How Medieval Families Used Unions to Build Wealth and Power

Oct 25 2025 / History & Culture

Medieval marriages were economic contracts designed to transfer land, wealth, and power between families. Dowries and dowers ensured financial security, while alliances shaped politics. This system protected both men and women-and its legacy still shapes modern marriage laws.