All ancient communities had law codes or rules that dictated both public and private behavior. Introduction Christianity began as a sect of Judaism in Judea in the 1st century CE and spread to the cities of the Eastern Roman Empire and beyond. In these cities, non-Jews, Gentiles, wanted to join the movement, and these Gentile-Christians[…]
The expectations and even the very way they defined terms such as ‘gender’ and ‘sexuality’ differed greatly from modern understanding. By Cody GoettingBowling Green State University Sex,sexuality, and gender norms continue to be a pressing matter in the modern political and social scene, with debates revolving around several important topics such as means of expression,[…]
Exploring the Parthenon and its sculptural program from the perspective of gender. Introduction Few monuments can claim such a central role in Western Civilization as the Parthenon. Constructed between 447 and 432 BCE, the Parthenon was created as a symbol of the status of Athens in the Greek world. The temple dedicated to Athena was[…]
Newly-appointed Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has promised to address the escalating sexual assault concerns within the US military. The US Senate confirmed Austin’s appointment during the first week of February, making him the first-ever African American at the head of the Pentagon. Austin wasted no time to tackle the issue head-on, ordering a review of the processes[…]
From marriage and sexuality to education and rights, looking at attitudes towards gender in 19th-century Britain. Introduction During the Victorian period men and women’s roles became more sharply defined than at any time in history. In earlier centuries it had been usual for women to work alongside husbands and brothers in the family business. Living[…]
In the 1950s, ‘coming out’ meant acknowledging sexual orientation. Today, the term is used by a broad array of social movements. Introduction You probably know what it means to “come out” as gay. You may even have heard the expression used in relation to other kinds of identity, such as being undocumented. But do you[…]
Astell recognized the ways in which background social structures explain behaviors. The English philosopher Mary Astell (1666-1731) was a woman ahead of her time. She anticipated discoveries in the social dimension of knowledge and explanation that you might have thought were made only in the 21st century. She also revealed the existence of a form[…]
The history of transgender and gender nonconforming people in the United States is one of struggle, but also of self-determination and community building. Introduction Can there be said to be a “transgender history,” when “transgender” is a contemporary term and when individuals in past centuries who would perhaps appear to be transgender from our vantage[…]
The category of ‘persons who have changed their sex’ in the wonder books cannot be exactly matched onto any modern term. By Lee RayeHistorian of Science In early modern England, the wonder book provided a vernacular genre that collected stories of monsters, marvels and prodigies. Although the books had a veneer of scholarly respectability, their[…]
In what ways do we associate movement—the ability to go anywhere and be anyone—with freedom? How do these relationships change when women are the ones on the move? Originally published by Newberry Digital Collections for the Classroom, 10.26.2012, Newberry Library, republished with permission for educational, non-commercial purposes. Introduction In many ways, the American experience has[…]
In 1776, a 24-year-old Quaker woman named Jemima Wilkinson died of fever, and came back to life as a prophet known as the Publick Universal Friend. By Livia Gershon Understanding gender as a spectrum is a part of life in twenty-first century America. But gender-nonconforming people have always existed. Historian Scott Larson takes a look[…]
During the past two decades, historians of twentieth-century Britain have delineated the landscape of a “modern sexual and gender regime.” What does a microhistorical approach, based upon the subjective experiences and writings of individuals, offer the history of sex and love in early twentieth-century Britain? This was the central question guiding research following the discovery,[…]
Miss Betty Cooper may not be “well known” to modern historians, but the ad claims that she was “well known” in Revolutionary-era Boston. In the years before the American Revolution, Boston newspapers routinely advertised the sale and recapture of enslaved people alongside news of Massachusetts’ resistance to British rule. In these ads, enslavers provided descriptions[…]
As important as sexuality is to being human, it is often viewed as a taboo topic for personal or scientific inquiry. By Dr. Don Lucas and Dr. Jennifer FoxLucas: Professor of PsychologyFox: Assistant Professor of PsychologyNorthwest Vista College Abstract Sexuality is one of the fundamental drives behind everyone’s feelings, thoughts, and behaviors. It defines the[…]