Human Female Sexuality - Historical Conceptions of Female Sexuality

Historical Conceptions of Female Sexuality

Representations of female sexuality date back to prehistoric times; there is clear evidence of the depiction of female fecundity in ancient Venus figurines. Fertility goddesses are common in many ancient cultures. In many cultures there are also gods of love, marriage, and sex. In the ancient civilizations of India, Japan, and China, the subject of female sexuality was expressed in several writings and commentaries. For example, much of the Kama Sutra, an ancient treatise on sex and sexuality, deals with female sexuality.

Historically, female sexuality has been seen in many male-dominated cultures as subordinate to male sexuality, and as something to be controlled by society through restrictions on female behavior. One may say that within these cultures the most popular conceptions of female sexuality are seen through the male gaze, without counter self-conceptions through the female gaze, or gazes not female nor male.

Traditional cultural practices such as enforced modesty and chastity have historically tended to place restrictions principally on women, without imposing similar restrictions on men. Some controversial traditional cultural practices such as female genital cutting have been described as attempts at nullifying women's sexuality altogether. Many females are deprived of the ability to achieve orgasm through the act of Female Genital Mutilation which is practiced in many countries around the world. Against their will, young girls around the world undergo mutilation at a young age-at the age of 5 or 6. It is a procedure that involves the cutting of the clitoris, most often without the use of pain killers. There are many health risks. These risks include: severe pain, urine retention, infection to many parts of the female reproductive system, difficulties with childbirth.

Other cultural practices such as honor killings threaten unsanctioned female sexual behavior with death, often at the hands of the woman's own relatives. This combines with a "blame the victim" attitude which punishes women who accuse men of raping them; even if the rape is proved, the woman will be punished for the "crime" of fornication, regardless of her unwillingness to "participate". Oftentimes, after the killing takes place, the family attempts to forget and no longer mention the family member they just killed. Some honor killings are made to appear as accidents so measuring them can be difficult.