Medieval historian Eleanor Janega joins the podcast to discuss the kinky myths and beliefs surrounding sex in the medieval period. They debunk the chastity belt myth, explore the strict rules imposed by the church, examine consequences of affairs, and delve into gender dynamics and queer communities. They also discuss methods of family planning and express gratitude for being on the podcast.
Contrary to popular belief, the medieval period had more sexually permissive attitudes than expected, with literature such as Chaucer's works depicting humorous and pleasurable experiences of sex.
The myth of medieval women wearing chastity belts originated in the Victorian era, projecting their own repression onto medieval times, as there is no historical evidence of such belts being used during the medieval period.
Deep dives
Medieval attitudes towards sex were more sexually permissive than commonly assumed
Contrary to popular belief, the medieval period had more sexually permissive attitudes than expected. While the Victorian era often portrayed the period as repressive, medieval people were actually more open, vocal, and enjoyed sex. This can be seen in literature, such as Chaucer's works, which depicted humorous and pleasurable experiences of sex. However, it's important to note that attitudes varied across Europe and throughout the medieval period itself.
Misconceptions about chastity belts in the medieval period
The idea of medieval women wearing chastity belts is a myth that originated in the Victorian era. There is no historical evidence of chastity belts being used during the medieval period. The Victorian era projected its own ideas of sexual repression onto medieval times and created these false narratives. While some religious sources mentioned the control of women's sexuality, there is no evidence of chastity belts being a common practice in medieval Europe.
The impact of religion on medieval attitudes towards sex
Religious teachings, particularly those of the church, had a significant influence on medieval attitudes towards sex. The church promoted procreative sex within marriage as the ideal while condemning non-procreative sexual acts. Despite these teachings, the medieval period witnessed a range of sexual behaviors and experiences. People often found ways to engage in sexual activities outside of strict religious guidelines, and literature and art from the time reflect a more relaxed and humorous approach to sexuality.
The challenges of understanding medieval sexuality
Understanding medieval sexuality is complex due to the lack of explicit records and varying cultural contexts. The absence of extensive written records on personal experiences makes it challenging to determine how individuals understood and identified their sexualities. However, evidence suggests that people formed communities and engaged in diverse sexual practices, even if they lacked the modern vocabulary and concepts associated with sexual identity and orientation.
Given that the medieval period covers the best part of 1000 years, there's a fair amount of sexual myth and beliefs to get through.
How kinky were people in those times? Was the chastity belt just a Victorian myth? And did women really put live fish into their vaginas and then feed them to their husbands?
All of these questions and more will be answered in today's episode of Betwixt the Sheets, which is from a conversation Kate had with Eleanor Janega recently over on History Hit's Gone Medieval podcast.
This podcast was edited by Siobhan Dale and produced by Stuart Beckwith. The senior producer was Charlotte Long.
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