The Middle Ages are usually pictured as a romantic era, plenty of epic battles, chivalry, minstrels and prince charming. Reality however, was quite different from what we’ve learned o­n movies or novels, which is nothing but a fancy view from what medieval times truly were. There was nothing so poetic about sexuality in a time when life was surrounded by plagues, famine, and wars. Epidemic diseases such as leprosy were common ground as people were exposed to low-hygiene conditions and extreme poverty.

Living in this almost chaotic social and cultural background, people were compelled to adopt a different behavior. Unlike we witnessed in previous civilizations, the medieval society was not so advanced, which reflected in taboos and lack of information concerning all aspects of life, sexuality inclusive.

Religion starts to gain a substantial influence o­n history of sexuality from then o­n, together with the rooting of patriarchal societies. Marriages were a matter of politics and interests, and used as an economical and social strategy to families, since most of the times there was land and/or monetary dowry involved. Love was still not so important to establish matrimony, because their families, most cases, selected the mates when the bride/groom to marry wasn’t born yet. Every sexual activity was seen as forbidden or profane if its intention was o­nly to have pleasure, and any sexual activity aside of reproduction was named sodomy. Likewise, even o­n a matrimonial basis, any activity besides intercourse itself (such as anal sex, oral sex, and mutual masturbation) was conceived forbidden, not o­nly because they’re contraceptive, but also considered an inappropriate use of the genitalia.