A Brief History of Sexuality Understanding the Complexity of Sexuality Theories and their Necessity By
Chris Bryant, M.A., M.Ed.
Humanity relies on sex as a means to sustain human life on our planet. Yet, if we are to understand the complexity of sexuality, we must move beyond the simple notion that its sole justification is procreation. In other words, sexuality does not exist solely on the heteronormative end of the continuum; rather sexuality is a complicated phenomenon. Our understanding of sexuality is historically and culturally determined. Before we can begin to discuss theories of sexuality, it is necessary to understand how sexuality, as we know it, came to be. Prior to the advent of sexuality studies, our understanding of sexuality was derived from cultural observation, mythology, morals, and even magic. Early civilizations in Egypt, Mesopotamia, and China collected data about anatomy and sex. Some 2000 years later, classical Greeks built upon this, eventually creating the base of Western knowledge of sexuality. What has
complicated sexuality studies, and still does, is the notion that sexuality is tied to morality; thus, negating the physiological and psychological components of sex and desire. The imposing view of morality has necessitated a need to classify sex as abnormal or normative. In this respect, a vast array of theoretical perspectives has emerged to explain and categorize sexuality: to aid in understanding, explaining, and defining the seemingly gray murkiness of sexuality for the benefit and betterment of society. As Central Europe sought to understand sexuality, the creation of classifications within sexuality emerged. In 1868, journalist and gay rights activist Karl Maria Kertbeny coined the terms “heterosexual” and “homosexual” in a letter to Richard von KrafftEbing (a gay rights activist, researcher, and psychologist). As the terms gained wider circulation, Krafft-Ebing used the terms in
The imposing view of morality has necessitated a need to classify sex as abnormal or normative.
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