Tag: history

Euphemisms, or terms used in place of other words, and slang are a key part of how we talk about all things intimate. While vagina and penis are the ‘proper’ terms, they feel awkward when talking casually compared to pussy and dick. Every language and time period has its own words to describe body parts, sex acts and types of people. Sometimes we hold on to those words for centuries, but sometimes old slang sounds bizarre and downright comical! 

The following are made available by The Project Gutenberg publication of The 1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue, originally by Francis Grose.

Doing The Deed

There are infinite ways to describe the horizontal tango; like knocking boots or getting laid. At the turn of the 19th century, you could have a brush with a beautiful woman, or relish her. If it was a quickie, you would take a flourish, and if you decided to have a mostly clothed romp outside of the bedroom, you would be taking a flyer. 

Sugar Sticks & Bubbies

Slang terms for body parts are also common and change constantly. What we call boobs, titties and ta-tas, were once called diddeys, bubbies and a woman’s apple dumplin’ shop. A busty woman could be called a bushel bubby! As for pussy, the words quim and madge were popular euphemisms.

Don’t worry, dicks were not forgotten! Cocks were described as deliciously naughty sugar sticks and if you were a shower, not a grower, you might be described as having a lobcock. One of the wittier phrases was the silent flute.

People

Not all parts of language change though; this 18th-century text still described well-endowed blokes as well-hung. Also, while gold digger usually refers to a young woman and a rich man, the term fortune hunter was reserved for men who were seeking wealthy wives!

There are also many terms for promiscuous ladies, sex workers and women in general, though some aren’t as kind as others. Dirty puzzle is defined as “a nasty slut” which has definitely appeared in more than a few XXX video titles. A few highlights include quean, trollop and strumpet all referring to lusty babes, plus harlot of course!

Language is constantly changing and as new words emerge, the old ones can fade away. It’s amusing to imagine using those words today since they seem so foreign to us. If you fancy taking a flourish of your own, check out the available babes here!

While statues are now found mostly in museums and art galleries, sculpture has played an important role in artistic history. Ancient Greek or Roman gods and goddesses probably come to mind but statues are popular in many cultures. Despite its traditionally conservative beliefs, the Catholic church incidentally commissioned not one but two stunning statues of the devil. Their reason for the second one? The first was “too sublime” and would distract churchgoers. 

Context

Whether he goes by the devil, satan or Lucifer, the majority of Christian faiths agree that he was quite the looker. Described as ‘the fallen angel,’ the devil’s good looks were part of his devious charm. He represented the ultimate sinful indulgence; cunning, manipulative and, well, hot as hell!

Rock Hard

St. Paul’s Cathedral in Belgium first commissioned Joseph Geefs in 1837 to create a statue depicting a downtrodden Lucifer having lost to the goodness of the church. Upon receiving the statue, the church declared that “this devil is too sublime.” With his near-complete nudity, boyish handsomeness and lean abs, it violated the sanctity of their space. Fearing it would distract young women from their religious obligations, the church deemed it unacceptable for display. They soon sought a replacement from Joseph’s older brother, Guillaume.

Chiselled, Literally

While no one can attest to Guillaume’s intentions at the time, his response to the commission gives many historians a chuckle. The statue he produced in 1848 to replace his brothers is widely considered far more “sublime” than the original. With his roguishly handsome face, thick hair and yes, literally chiselled abs, Guillaume’s Lucifer wouldn’t look out of place in a Sexy Sinners Calander. 

The Irony

By removing the seductive stone statue, the church inadvertently conceded that their words were no match for a good-looking marble man. Despite the church’s goal to minimise distraction, they reinforced the power of physical attractiveness as a sinful temptation.

While these two charming sinners may not have altered the course of history, they are still phenomenal works of art that tell a story. The original statue by Joseph now resides with the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium. Guillaume’s rendition has remained at St. Paul’s Cathedral. The (not so) subtle sexuality that underpins both pieces speaks volumes about the pertinence of attraction in art, religion and life. Overall, however, we are just grateful the church gave us two drool-worthy devils to think about next time we’re feeling naughty.

Henry Miller was a celebrated American author known for his bold and often explicit writing. His works “Tropic of Cancer” and “Tropic of Capricorn” both faced backlash and bannings given their sexually-explicit nature. Miller’s works helped redefine Western culture’s expectations and acceptance of mature literature. Meanwhile, the privacy of love letters between him and his lovers emboldened his writing even further. Referring to another famous author, Miller even wrote

“I wish God had given me the gift of writing about sex like D. H. Lawrence. Somehow my efforts always seem crude and shocking.”

Despite this harsh self-critique, Miller’s personal letters often involve very affectionate phrases such as “You’re food and drink to me” which break up the more explicit content. 

Letters to Anais Nin

Anais Nin is an accredited author in her own right, and her letters to Miller fuelled his passionate writings. When they were apart, Miller wrote

“When you return I am going to give you one literary fuck fest—that means fucking and talking and talking and fucking.”

They often shared steamy memories, future promises and steamy hypotheticals.

With Miller’s characteristic stream-of-consciousness monologue style, it’s easy to imagine the lonesome author narrating the letter through his daydreams and fantasies. 

“I feel your soft mouth closing over me, your leg clutching me tight, see you again in the kitchen here lifting your dress and sitting on top of me and the chair riding around over the kitchen floor, going thump, thump.”

Letters could take weeks or even months to arrive and the drawn-out angst of awaiting a reply must have been agony. Compared to the near-instantaneous responses lovers can access now, the wait must have been practically unbearable. Much like the internet, the postal system held many a secret between lovers. Miller was acutely aware of the possibility of a mistaken recipient, remarking

“God forgive me if this letter is ever opened by mistake. I can’t help it. I want you.”

These personal communications rarely appear publically, though Anais Nin’s family saved her personal diary and letters she kept from Henry. They were published after her death as part of an homage to her career in erotic literature. These two authors made their careers pushing the boundaries of published work, and their love lives clearly served as inspiration for their explicit narratives. 

Accessing sex-related media in the form of books, art or film has never been easier. The internet serves as the ultimate platform to create, sell and access pornography, in a variety of forms. From on-demand one-on-one camgirls to archives of homemade and professionally produced pornos, there’s no shortage of explicit material. Before that, however, getting a hold of erotic imagery could be much more difficult.

The Rise Of Printing

People have created, traded and sold nude art for millennia, but nudity often portrayed vulnerability and innocence. It wasn’t until recently, that nudity took on a risque or suggestive side. While there were certainly sexually suggestive artworks available, they were few and far between, and not available for personal collection. It wasn’t until the 19th century that printing duplicate copies of erotic illustrations became practical. Even after the printing press, printed media was difficult to come by and wasn’t part of a mainstream market.

Cultural Constrictions

The regulations regarding published media typically restricted printed works from depicting sex scenes and frequently censored the images. Uncensored publications were more often available through underground networks than from reputable sources.

The 1960s marked cultural shifts that generated more demand for sex-related content. Soon after that, the laws regarding the publication of explicit content shifted to reflect it. Some countries remained quite conservative which led to the development of black market distribution of pornography. Others, like the United States, embraced their new-found sexuality. Whether it’s seen as part of a sexual revolution or a newfound way to objectify and crudely profit from women, the changes were a global phenomenon.

The Golden Age of Print

The 1970s and ‘80s were the height of the X-rated magazine industry, particularly in the U.S. The improvement of printing technology meant better quality images and they were able to be mass-produced and distributed. Playboy, with its iconic bunny ears, sold 5.6 million copies in 1975. It was among the most successful magazine companies, alongside Hustler and Penthouse. Magazines were available for purchase at newsstands and convenience stores, and could even be periodically mailed to your home.

Going Digital

As the internet became more available to the public, sharing erotic material became easier than ever. Printed magazines couldn’t keep up with the accessibility, convenience and prices of online alternatives. Many printed publications, like Playboy, had to shift to online platforms or risk disappearing from the porn industry altogether. Currently, printed editions are available for purchase online but the overwhelming majority of pornographic material is entirely digitally based.

While the centrefolds of erotic magazines no longer fuel young men’s imaginations, those paper-and-ink origins paved the way for the socio-cultural and legal changes that allow digital media to flourish. The dog-eared pages of pornos-gone-by are responsible for some of the biggest shifts in modern attitudes toward sex. So, next time your X-rated video isn’t loading fast enough, imagine the frustration of it getting lost in the mail!

Prior to photograph and video content of erotic scenes and stories, written literature was a popular avenue for expressing lustful thoughts. Love letters were exchanged between couples, sometimes including graphic descriptions, drawings or photographs. Yet published works often faced scrutiny and censorship by printing companies and publishers. Despite this, D.H. Lawrence’s 1928 novel “Lady Chatterley’s Lover” shocked the world with its explicit language and graphic descriptions. Lawsuits, book bans and censorship debates ensued and the novel remains one of great controversy.

About The Book

“Lady Chatterley’s Lover” is a tale of forbidden love and sexual awakening set in post-World War I England. The story follows beautiful Lady Chatterley, who finds herself trapped in a loveless marriage to an impotent veteran. Seeking satisfaction outside her marriage, she embarks on a passionate affair with the estate’s gamekeeper.

The Response

At the time of its publication, Lady Chatterley’s Lover was outrageously provocative. The language used was enough to make people blush but the detailed descriptions of sex were almost unheard of in published literature. Over the years, several governments banned the book including the UK, the US as well as here in Australia until 1968. 

Legal Ramifications

One of the greatest changes this raunchy read sparked was the 1960 obscenity trial where the publishing house Penguin Books successfully fought for the right to publish the uncensored edition. Censorship was an ongoing social issue; some feared that unregulated publishing could break down all sense of right and wrong. Others believed that published literature was an extension of freedom of speech rights. Lady Chatterley’s Lover was defended because of its explicit nature and how it symbolised freedom of expression for other topics. The publishing of sexually explicit literature awakened a knowledge of and desire for adult material in the public. Authors were able to broaden their skills and cater to a new and growing audience.

From a publishing industry perspective, “Lady Chatterley’s Lover” marked a turning point in the way adult content was perceived and handled. Having successfully challenged censorship laws, publishers were able to take risks and defend controversial works. Despite the international backlash Lady Chatterley’s Lover received initially, the years that followed saw a huge increase in the amount and intensity of adult novels.

Lady Chatterley’s Lover is among the most influential pieces in publishing history precisely because of its divisive nature. While it remains censored and banned by some countries, its effect on censorship laws paved the way for adult material. Despite its paper-and-ink origins, Lady Chatterley’s Lover remains an important landmark as the sex industry continues to grapple with censorship and social advocacy in the digital age. Without these provocative pages, erotic media in all forms would likely still be subject to even greater censorship laws.

Joyce’s fondness for description and details leaves very little of these intimate moments to the imagination. His erotic letters to his wife Nora Barnacle were certainly never written for anyone else’s eyes. After their deaths, award-winning biographer Richard Ellmann published some of their correspondence. While the ethics of publishing personal letters is widely debated, there are few examples of such writings in history, which makes these invaluable.

Joyce’s Letters

Amidst words that could make anyone blush are sweet phrases of tenderness;

“I love your body, long for it, dream of it”

“A hundred thousand kisses, darling!”

However, it is hardly the romance that makes these letters so notable. Instead, the boldness of the language sets them apart. Not only is it explicit and graphic, but the language itself is intriguing. Dated around 1909, the colloquial terms that Joyce uses to refer to various aspects of intimacy are now outdated. The term “frig,” for example, now stands in for a somewhat censored expletive but once meant ‘to masturbate’ or finger. It wasn’t just foreplay that got a vocabulary update.

Joyce writes “I was the first man that blocked you,” and to a modern reader, it suggests a falling out on social media. What it meant though, was sex and that he was her first partner in bed. It is interesting to see how language regarding sex has shifted over time.

Not everything has changed with time, though. Joyce opens up about the effect of all this erotic correspondence had:

“I have done so much and so often that I am afraid to look to see how that thing I had is after all I have done to myself,” which is a sentiment many lustful men have felt.

The Replies

While Nora’s replies to these letters have never been published, it’s clear that her thirst for passion matched her husband’s. Joyce reflects “Tired of lying under a man one night you tore off your chemise violently and began to ride me up and down.”

While there are plenty of private messages I would rather not have resurface, there is a certain comforting relatability to these old letters. Throughout time, people have shared their most intimate thoughts through whatever medium was available to them. Their “wild filth and obscenity” is an integral part of human sexuality. Though I must admit, I much prefer the convenience of an instant message to the days, weeks or months between letters. 

Alongside printed material, X-rated video production echoed the social changes in the 20th and 21st centuries. Before the convenience of smartphones and on-demand streaming services, erotic recordings were subject to content and distribution regulations and depended on having access to the right playback equipment. For many teenagers in the ‘80s and ‘90s, this meant creeping downstairs to use the VHS after curfew.

Lights

When the lights went down, the restrictions on TV content slackened. This presented the opportunity to run ads such as the infamous ‘Gone Wild’ commercials that encouraged viewers to pay for the full video or purchase a subscription. Despite being aimed at an adult-only audience, there were still considerable regulations about what was allowed to be aired.

Camera

As technologies like handheld video recorders enabled filmmakers to record content more easily, videos of erotic material grew in popularity. VHS was available to the average consumer and the convenience of enjoying adult entertainment from home meant producers could portray more explicit scenes than a film aimed at a general audience. Despite this, regulations imposed censorship requirements and limited distribution channels. 

Action

The technological progress of the 1980s and ‘90s contributed to the booming popularity of erotic videos. VHS and camera technology were improving rapidly and the diversity of films available grew exponentially. Video rental stores, which are now a rarity in their own right, often dedicated a shelf to the XXX films. Exclusive adult-video-only rental stores opened as well to provide access to the huge variety of videos available. As the ‘90s rolled around, DVDs became the most popular platform for erotic material, offering better video quality and interactive menus to navigate through assorted media. Cable and satellite TV eventually relaxed their content restrictions and enabled pay-per-view adult films. The production and consumption of pornographic material became part of pop culture and erotic content brands became household names.

While still-image pornography remained popular, the rise of adult entertainment in the film industry was revolutionary. To go from taboo, printed images to on-demand TV meant a cultural acceptance of pornography in mainstream media. Even though DVDs are now considered outdated, X-rated content is frequently on the cutting edge of technological advances. This is true today, as artificial intelligence is being utilised in several fields including the production and distribution of adult entertainment.