New Books Network Sarah Bull, "Selling Sexual Knowledge: Medical Publishing and Obscenity in Victorian Britain" (Cambridge UP, 2025)
Jun 30, 2025
In this engaging conversation, Sarah Bull, an Associate Professor at Toronto Metropolitan University, dives into the complex connections between medicine, publishing, and sexuality in Victorian Britain. She reveals how medical publishing shaped societal perceptions of sexual knowledge, amidst the clash of obscenity laws and reformers advocating for sexual rights. Bull also dispels myths about Victorian sexual ignorance, showcasing a nuanced understanding of sexuality, and discusses the future of research in this intriguing field. A captivating blend of history and critical thought!
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Serendipitous Research Spark
- Sarah Bull discovered the topic by chance while researching Victorian pornography and stumbled upon ads for sexological studies in pornographic books.
- This led her to explore relations between medical publishing, pornography, and commerce in Victorian Britain.
Medical Books' Ambiguous Role
- Victorian medical books covered non-fiction topics about the body, including anatomy, contraception, and venereal disease.
- These books could be seen as educational yet also potentially arousing, creating an ambiguous space between medicine and obscenity.
Four Groups Shaping Sexual Knowledge
- Four key groups shaped Victorian sexual knowledge: regular doctors, irregular practitioners, radicals, and pornographers.
- Their overlapping publications fueled debates over obscenity and expert legitimacy.
