At various times in history, depending on the religious and social values of the times, human sexual attractions and behaviors have been defined as immoral, wrong, or pathological. One of the points made in this video clip is that as scientific inquiry grew in acceptance, and the public began to trust more in the answers that science was providing to age-old questions, some sexual behaviors began to be defined as signs of sickness. During the Victorian Period, two particular sexual targets were sexual interest on the part of women, and masturbation in either sex. Since the values of the time had come to judge both of these phenomena as “wrong,” medical science was persuaded by the social milieu to categorize these partakers as “sick.” Naturally, with such weight of authority behind these value judgments, people did what they could to discourage female sexual interest and expression or masturbatory behavior in themselves and others. There were surely those who rebelled against these social norms, but there are always social and personal consequences of such rebellion.

Please watch the following video clip and answer the corresponding follow-up questions.

Sex, Sin and Sickness

1			In the video clip, former United States Surgeon General Dr. Joycelyn Elders is shown discussing the historical prejudices against masturbation. What part of her own professional history was most certainly part of the reason she was selected to appear in the video?
2			What can you find out about the sexual connections of Kellogg’s Corn Flakes and the man who invented them?
3			Look at some of the values described in the video. Compare with present day values about which sexual behaviors are considered to be immoral or sick?