Episode 207: The History of Kinky Sex
July 18, 2023 by Justin Lehmiller
It turns out that for as long as humans have been having sex, they’ve been having pretty kinky sex! So let’s talk about our kinky history. In today’s episode, we’re going to explore the history of BDSM, the origins of the dildo and vibrator (and how they came to be so popular), the world’s first pornographic novel (Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure), and more. All of these things have fascinating stories behind them—and learning about them can help us to better understand modern human sexuality.
I am joined by Esmé Louise James, who is best known for her series Kinky History, which has amassed nearly 3 million followers across her social media accounts. Esmé is a PhD candidate at the University of Melbourne and author of the upcoming book Kinky History: The Stories Behind Our Intimate Lives, Past and Present. She also hosts the popular Kinky History podcast.
Some of the topics we discuss include:
- Why is it important for us to understand kinky history in a way that isn’t centered around shame and gossip?
- How long have humans been into kink and BDSM?
- When did humans start making dildos?
- What are the origins of the vibrator, and how did it come to be so popular?
- What is the significance of the book Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure?
- What is a day in the life of a sex historian like?
To learn more, check out Esmé’s website, and stay connected with her on Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok.
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Credits: Precision Podcasting (Podcast editing) and Shutterstock/Florian (Music). Image created with Canva; photos used with permission of guest.
Dr. Justin Lehmiller
Founder & Owner of Sex and PsychologyDr. Justin Lehmiller is a social psychologist and Research Fellow at The Kinsey Institute. He runs the Sex and Psychology blog and podcast and is author of the popular book Tell Me What You Want. Dr. Lehmiller is an award-winning educator, and a prolific researcher who has published more than 50 academic works.
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