Betwixt The Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal & Society

The Book That Changed Sex Forever

There had been sex manuals for hundreds of years, but by the 20th century they were quite underground. That is, until the Joy of Sex was released in 1972. It was a revolutionary book about sex, and sold over 12 million copies. Who was the man behind it? His name, aptly, was Dr. Alex Comfort, and he was a poet, novelist, anarchist and philosopher, amongst other things. Joining Kate today to explore his work and the impact the Joy of Sex had, is Eric Laursen, author of <a href="https://www.foyles.co.uk/book/polymath/eric-laursen/9781849354967" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Polymath: The Life and Professions of Dr Alex Comfort, Author of The Joy of Sex</a>. This episode was edited by Teän Stewart-Murray and produced by Stuart Beckwith. The senior producer was Charlotte Long. Don’t miss out on the best offer in history! Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Get a subscription for £1 for 3 months with code BETWIXTTHESHEETS1 sign up now for your 14-day free trial <a href="https://historyhit/subscription/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://historyhit/subscription/</a>

Why did kings and queens have spectators on their wedding night? Who had the very first boob job? And did our ancestors have their unmentionables pierced? Join historian, Kate Lister, Betwixt the Sheets as she unashamedly roots around the topics which seem to have been skipped in history class. Everything from landmark LGBTQ+ court cases, to political scandal, to downright bizarre medieval cures for impotence. The etymology of swear words, gender bias in medicine, and satanic panic and cults - there’s nothing off limits. She'll be bed-hopping around different time periods; from ancient civilisations, to the middle ages, to renaissance and early modern...right up to now. You’ll laugh, you’ll wince, and you’ll ask yourself how much has actually changed. So join Kate Betwixt the Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal &amp; Society - a podcast from History Hit. Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Get a subscription for £1 per month for 3 months with code BETWIXT sign up at <a href="https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">historyhit.com/subscribe</a>. You can take part in our listener survey <a href="https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6FFT7MK" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</a>.