Sweeping Away Bans: Essays on Russian Sexual Culture

The sexual life of women has always been regulated by authoritative and social institutions, and the attitude towards it reflects the morals and cultural norms of different eras and countries. The main theme of this collective monograph is the evolution of views on female sexuality in Russia from the 11th to the 20th century. By describing the everyday lives of representatives from various social groups, the authors refer to a whole corpus of unique historical sources: from church collections of punishments (epitimia) to medical forms from Russian maternity hospitals, from court case materials to various ego-documents. According to the researchers, the intimate sphere of life is related not only to external attempts at censorship but also to the limitations that people impose on themselves.

What was the difference between the sexual education of noble boys and girls? How did society actually relate to "non-virgins" — women who did not preserve their virginity until marriage? How have women at different times tried to avoid pregnancy? Through answers to these and other questions, we can not only understand the sexual culture of the past but also see the trajectories along which it will develop in the future.