Anal Through the Ages

How much attitudes are changing is demonstrated by a chic event dedicated to anal sex education.

Anal Through the Ages was on full display in the Museum of Sex's very front room. The event featured a number of tables that represented various periods in the history of anal sex and was sponsored by b-Vibe, a new vibrating butt plug and anal sexual wellness firm developed by Alicia Sinclair. Every significant anal sex milestone, from antiquity to our more contemporary, enlightened perspective (at least in liberal hotspots like NYC), was on display.

It was similar to a middle school World's Fair Day, only that anal sex was being offered in place of countries. Additionally, despite its small size, the Museum of Sex is brimming with interesting items that support its goal of educating people about and normalizing sex in a luxurious yet sex-positive environment.

Numerous butt plugs of all sizes were arranged like a set of Russian dolls, along with fact-packed cardboard displays, crockery depicting orgies, and representations of bison having sex. Clusters of peaches were placed on the little glass coffee tables, emphasizing the peach emoji's recent popularity.

At one time, my girlfriends and I proclaimed ourselves "The Real Housewives of Anal" as they held out our peaches like "The Real Housewives of LA."

However, it was a fancy event. The Museum of Sex's party room, with disco balls, a full bar, and 1970s music, has a disco motif.

The fact that we were all at a laid-back yet glitzy gathering focused on butt stuff, however, is what truly got my attention. It was very emancipating—and instructive, even for me. (I still learned a lot about anal, even if there are moments when I feel like I know everything there is to know!)

We were all present for a laid-back yet glitzy gathering that was all about butt stuff. It was tremendously freeing.

Anal Play Hasn't Always Been Taboo

Interesting fact: It's simple to believe that anal intercourse has never been acceptable. Not at all.

Actually, the perception of anal sex has fluctuated somewhat like a bell curve. It was initially a common form of sexual expression throughout human history. The Moche culture of ancient Peru used anal sex. It appeared on several types of ceramics. According to popular belief, males in ancient Greece and Rome were attracted to both men and women and had affairs with both. Even the notions of heterosexuality and homosexuality were nonexistent. All of them were basically bisexual.

(Aside from that, it would be awesome to return to ancient Rome.

Ancient pottery featuring anal sex.

With the advent of Christianity, anal became prohibited. (Does organized religion detract from the enjoyment of life, or is it just me?) The majority of anti-anal thumpers frequently use Genesis 19:14–25 in their sermons about the wicked, immoral nature of anal sex. According to this text, the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah by burning them to the ground because, allegedly, everyone in Sodom enjoyed doing it in the ass.

Anal intercourse became illegal due to the proliferation of sodomy legislation. The penalties differed by state, but depending on where you lived, you might be imprisoned or fined. You're correct.

On display at Anal Through the Ages at the Museum of Sex.

Photo by Gigi Engle

Inmate: Jerry, what are you up to?

I enjoyed doing butt stuff, said my new roommate. I was thrown into the clink by the coppers.

Although it appears strange now, this was actually occurring not too long ago. Until the 1960s, the legal repercussions for Anal didn't even start to change. It wasn't until Lawrence v. Texas (2003) that Texas's sodomy laws were repealed, allowing for intercourse between people of the same sex in all US territories. 2003, really.

Anal In the Spotlight

Anal didn't start to gain popularity in the media until recently; 2014 was dubbed the "Year of the Booty." The formerly very taboo had become part of the mainstream. Instead of being a marginal activity, Anal has shifted into a position of near mainstream. Naturally, this raises further concerns regarding safe anal procedures and consent. As a result, there is an increase in open dialogue and education.

The final two tables of the evening focused on how we currently view anal and where we hope to see our attitudes in the future. Numerous magazine cutouts demonstrated how anal sex has become glorified by the mainstream media. There was an article about Anal in every issue, from Cosmo to Glamour.

Additionally, this table poignantly illustrated some of the antiquated attitudes around anal intercourse that are still pervasive in our culture. They even featured a piece I wrote for Teen Vogue that provided a scientific, comprehensive, and biological overview of the fundamentals of anal sex. My goal when writing the segment, along with the help of my excellent editors at TV, was to give teenagers accurate information. We felt that teens required accurate, clinical information about anal sex, which at least 10% of them claim to have experienced.

In the end, my article drew harsh criticism from the public. It demonstrated the persistence of strong sex-negative and homophobic sentiments. It was really startling to see the term "sodomy" used on Fox News, a major network, in addition to emails, comments, and tweets.

Sinclair told Adutoys that examining the historical perceptions of anal play and anal sex truly highlights how stigmas and taboos are like trends in that they fluctuate but ultimately have little to do with actual reality.

"By examining nature as well, we were able to highlight the fact that there is no such thing as 'natural' or 'normal'—nature actually possesses almost every sexual ability you can think of. Showcases like this, which explore the beginnings and development of different sexual behaviours, help debunk contemporary myths by demonstrating how ephemeral societal views on sex may be, according to Sinclair.

Animals who like a little backdoor activity are not just humans.

In any case, Anal Through the Ages demonstrated how far we've come in terms of how we feel and tolerate "alternative" sex practices.

Out in the open, fierce men and women are having a little party in New York that is all about the butt.