Sex: Avoided Subjects Discussed in Plain English

by Henry B. Stanton

Should anyone doubt that previous generations entertained odd, unusual, misinformed, even outright bizarre notions about what constituted a healthy mind, a healthy body and a healthy, rational attitude about matters sexual, look no farther than Henry Stanton's treatise Sex; Avoided Subjects Discussed in Plain English. brbrOften hilarious with it's excessive Victorian prudity, the medical and psychological advice given is sometimes downright alarming. Going blind is the least of your worries. It's safe to say that a couple completely ignorant of the intricacies of sex and marriage would fare better than young newlyweds schooled by Stanton.

Genres: Nonfiction, Audiobook, Science, Sexuality

56 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1922

About the author

Henry Brewster Stanton was an American abolitionist, social reformer, attorney, journalist and politician.

Reviews

[Max · Rating 1 out of 5]

Old fashion family/procreation propaganda. Even if the argumets are more sophiasticated and elaborated, the exact same propaganda continues to live nowadays. The ideas behind this book are all stupid. Some examples:
- Sex = reproduction;
- The natural law are santified by the law of god;
- god and Nature want you to have babies and make a family;
- Responsability is your only goal and the real freedom.
- Love is all you need. All you need is love.....
.....and so on.

[Thom Swennes · Rating 4 out of 5]

I gave Sex by Henry Stanton four stars. One might think that the title would deserve nothing less but the title has very little to do with the work itself. Published in 1922, the book is based on facts and or suppositions that are either bogus or incomplete. It was, in my opinion, very humorous and I laughed out loud more than once. It does give a good insight into how the social views of such a delicate subject as sexuality for both sexes has changed in the last century. The work must have caused quite a stir when first published as it doesn’t leave many aspects of human sexuality in the dark. On the other hand the author declares that masturbation inevitably leads to possible blindness and venereal disease. The last chapter gives a short summary of venereal diseases (gonorrhea, syphilis and scabies) which would, as I’m sure as it was meant to do, discourage readers from casual sexual experiences. I think both children and adults could get something from reading this obsolete work of “science”. If nothing else, I guarantee lots of laughs.

[Jen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Fascinating... except that at times upsetting... It's a book written in 1922 about sex. I imagine it was revolutionary in its time. Much of it is so false, it would make me laugh if it wasn't for the fact that I know people who still think and believe some of the horrible falsehoods.

I used to believe much of the what he says is the "proper role of the wife".

Some of my favorite things to hate about this book:

Sex's only purpose is for procreation. The only purpose of marriage is to have sex and procreate, therefore those who should not have children, should never marry.

"Men suffering with diseases which may be communicated by contagion or heredity should not marry. These diseases include: tuberculosis, syphilis, cancer, leprosy, epilepsy and some nervous disorders, some skin diseases and insanity. Men suffering from congenital defects should not
marry. Natural blindness, deafness, muteness, and congenital deformities of limb are more or less likely to be passed on to their children. Criminals, alcoholics, and persons disproportionate in size should not marry."

"Disparity of years, disparity of race, a poverty which will not permit the proper raising of
children, undesirable moral character are all good reasons for not marrying."

(Although earlier, he pointed out that the husband should be much older than the wife, so that he could provide for her.)

"If masturbation becomes habitual, generally impaired health, and often epilepsy, and total physical degradation results."

Stopping the flow of blood (by use of tampons or other "foreign" objects inserted in the genitalia) during menses will have serious physical and mental consequences. In fact, "Lives have been lost by thus suppressing the monthly flux."

"Any muscular effort, brain work and mental or physical excitement, is apt to have serious consequences during menstruation."

"No young woman should marry without a full knowledge of her sex duties to her husband. And she should never consummate the marriage vow grudgingly."


"The whole system of "birth control" is opposed to natural, human and religious law. Nature, in none of her manifestations, introduces anything which may tend to prevent her great reason for being--the propagation of the species."

"Surely that wise provision of our existing legal code which makes the printing or dissemination of information regarding the physical facts of "birth control" illegal and punishable as an offense, can only be approved by those who respect the Omnipotent will, and the time-hallowed traditions which date back to the very inception of the race."

[Jenna · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book made me laugh. When I began to read it I did not know when it was written and half way through I finally figured out that it was written during the "flapper" times. There is good advice in the beginning about being open with your children about sex and giving them simple truths. Later on though, when he points out the reasons for more "loseness" in girls he blames it on more freedom and the invention of the automobile. I almost started crying with laughter when I saw that he blamed cars. Ah... Then further on how he talked about the duties of a wife to her husband and even their honeymoon night again I laughed and wondered what our grandmothers must have been taught and so taught our mothers. A clean, if dated, look at sex and sex education.

[Jerry Williams · Rating 2 out of 5]

Archaic and Horrible

[Michael Bowman · Rating 1 out of 5]

Thought it might be interesting, instead it was silly. You can't claim pure naturalism and then stake a claim on what is and is not moral behavior. You cut off your own legs Stanton.

[Leah · Rating 1 out of 5]

First published in 1922 and republished in 2008? BURN IT!
I feel like the world is making some weird U turns and trying to get us back to the Victorian age - full force. This book is not simply outdated, it is full of untrue statements and claims. It stigmatises masturbation, claims that small breasts are 'underdeveloped' and may be sign of early masturbation for girls, says giving birth should go with relatively little pain and not be dangerous, talks at length at how unnatural and against society birth control is- but the natural sexual urges are drowned with a so called 'natural morality', talks about ''good and evil'', promotes excessive parental control...
I stumbled upon it on LibriVox, but I'd say it is insane that such book is still in circulation one way or another, it's disgusting to find such readings republished in 21 century.

[Avis Black · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is the sort of book that justly gave the Victorians a bad name.

[Ginger · Rating 2 out of 5]

Okay, this was written in the 20s, so I went in with the mindset to take everything with a grain of salt. But goddamn did this guy find a way to be progressive by encouraging poem conversation and shameless about sexuality while also being conservative af and just spreading church values of the time. I laughed a lot at some of the things he presented as fact. At the same time, I recognize that he was a pioneer of the subject and did great things to get people to teach their kids about their own bodies.

[UltraMuse · Rating 3 out of 5]

رغم اختلافي ومعارضتي لكتير جدًا من أفكار الكاتب، إلا إن الكتاب أكيد كان ثوري وقتها بمناقشته لمواضيع لا يفترض بها أن تناقش في مجمتع محافظ.
الغريب إن من سنة 1922 لحد الآن؛ أي بعد حوالي99 سنة، لسه بندعو لبعض القضايا المتعلقة بالصحة الانجابية والجنسية!!

كانت قراءة مثيرة للاهتمام وهرجعله أكيد كمادة للتدريب

[Adam Lohonyai · Rating 1 out of 5]

Absolute garbage. Read this only for historical interest purposes, to see what sorts of pernicious lies about sex and sexuality old white men were perpetuating 100 years ago. The book contains gems like "masturbation causes epilepsy" and "mercury is an effective treatment for syphilis" and "sick or disabled people should remain unmarried and celibate".

[Bran · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this book because I wanted to see what kind of knowledge there was about sex in the 1920's. I was surprised by how some things haven't changed and/or research supports even today. There is, of course, some morality and conservativeness around sex that is accurate for the time.

Definitely not a book to read to get answers in this day and age, but an interesting look at history.

[Leander · Rating 2 out of 5]

An orthodox view.
Girls shouldn't engage in premarital sex lest they be cursed.
Bull.

[Kel Caffekey · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very old fashioned and a very traditional less modern approach.

[Nickolass · Rating 1 out of 5]

this book feels like some sort of propaganda

[Citrine · Rating 1 out of 5]

Things I've learned :

1. Masturbation in young boys leads to epilepsy .
2. Masturbation in young girls leads to warts on the hands and fingers .
3. If young girls are not kept clean around their genital organs to the point where it becomes itchy
and they thus begin to relive the sensation by masturbating the Mother is to be at fault .
4. Foods such as vinegar , mustard , spices , tea and coffee hasten puberty .
5. Brunette females will hit puberty before blondes .
6. Those living in the country mature several months to a year later than those living in the city .
7. A girl's friends will respect her more during her period .
8. A girl should keep more than usually quiet during her menstrual flow .
9. Men who have cancer , who are sterile or are deaf , blind , or mute should not marry .

[Talia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this book at Project Gutenberg and thought it would be interesting to read a book regarding sex education from a 1920s viewpoint AND one written by a man.With a few exceptions, the book was thoughtful, well balanced and did not cater to the views that women were inferior to men or that their desires or disreputable tendencies occurred less frequently than that of their male counterparts.

There were a few moments where I had to laugh at the outdated and puritanical ideas that were professed, but overall, this was a great glimpse into early American views on sexuality and how they believed it best to prepare children for the changes that would occur as they matured.

[Evan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Enlightened only insofar as it pleads for more open discussion about the reality and necessity of sex/sexuality, but the messages this 1922 tome advocates were already out of date in 1922 and are rigid and downright wrong --- of the masturbation will make you go blind school of thought. Interesting as an historical curio now. It's a short read and you can find it on Project Gutenburg.

[Scott Harris · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book gets points for the comic value of its outdated views on sexuality, to the point of misinformation about healthy sexuality. It was much more a Victorian social more protector that an education tool. The book offers some stunningly inaccurate facts about the human body and the nature of human attraction.

[Dayla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Frank discussion on diseases. Most men are completely ignorant of sex-related health concerns, because as Stanton discloses in the final chapters that the female sexual response is filtered through the mind first.

Even though this presentation was a longer version of a speech given to the House of Representatives in 1837, originally, there is much to commend it.

[Skoora · Rating 2 out of 5]

Humorous due to it's dated material, but an interesting look into the mentality concerning sex in the early 20th century. A rather nice reference for anyone interested in the study of the ever changing views on human sexuality.

[Susan Molloy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Published in 1922.

Interesting and simple reading that grownups can read for valuable information and direction in having a successful marriage.

I found this buried in my Kindle, and it was worth the discovery and read.

💥Recommended.

[Amanda · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was nice to get some insight on how people thought back then but it is definitely dated...

[for-much-deliberation ...]

...thought I'd listen to some 1800s views on the topic...

[Sylvia · Rating 2 out of 5]

Curiously old-fashioned but straight-forward book on sex ed. Did you know female masturbation causes small breasts? Now you do!

[Andrew · Rating 1 out of 5]

Like listening to your grandparents give you the talk.

[Sarah · Rating 1 out of 5]

An entertaining if completely obsolete book based on the evils of masturbation and sex. If anything, good for a laugh. A sad laugh.

[Omar · Rating 5 out of 5]

interesting

[Deepak Sandhu · Rating 1 out of 5]

outdated, misleading information. has some good parts but misleading parts completely ruin it.

[Aura · Rating 1 out of 5]

Though I know it's dated and I tried to read it in context, I expected A LOT more from the ending.