SEX and Victorians

We are not amused, oh but I think you were.......



For so long we have heard of the repressed and shuttered sexuality of Victorians. While on the face of this statement there may seem to be some truth. But if you dig beyond this facade you will see something far different.

While it was the norm for households to put skirts on piano legs (cause they were deemed too obsene to place before proper people). The world beyond piano leg skirts was anything but shuttered. There were more houses of ill-repute (whore houses) during the Victorian age than any other.

 In Washington DC in the 1850's there were so many house of ill-repute that they were among the most successful businesses in the Capital. During the Lincoln Administration they boomed. There were soldiers all over and many politicians. Even Lincoln's secretary would visit the areas.

In New York City in the 19th century there were a massive amount of Opium Houses in the area to be called in time China Town. Here people could smoke and get high and often then go to one of the local Chinese houses of ill-repute.

London and many other international cities were much the same, prostitution was all over. There were places all over in the cities for vice and wild times. The Victorian age was noted for the Monarch who reigned for 63 plus years. While she was the model of Victorian propriety, even she had her flings with her horseman, Mr Brown.

There were many sex manuals, lewd art, photos,and more available during this time. There was a covering of the proper Victorian, but take off the cover and it was as it had been and would always be. The Victorians always were as sexual as any other group in history. The American Civil War was during the growing strength of the Victorian era.  How many stories and booklets were made about how the living room couch was a great place to have a wild time, rather than the bedroom.

It was also a time when technology and science tried to enter the bedroom with improvement and controls for sexual nature. There were some really sick devices designed to curtail masturbation, give strength to the sexual organs with electricity, and improvements on various condoms, and female friendly devices.

So when I see about the repressed Victorians...Yes there were some, but there were also many who were not of that ilk.  Just like today, you will still find people who fit the mode as Victorians, and many who do not.