Ancient Greek Civilization | Sex and Gender (Lecture 18)

Lecture 18: Greek society displayed attitudes towards human sexuality that differ markedly from those of modern society. This is especially apparent in the Greek conception of masculinity, which linked homosexuality to the training of youths. Rather than viewing such relationships as an alternative to heterosexuality, the Greeks viewed them as part of the youth's coming of age. Attitudes to women were also markedly different from our own society's attitudes, and they were often rooted in deep suspicion. The role of women as mothers of citizens and as productive members of the household limited the position of women in society. The lack of a female voice in ancient literature makes the task of recovering women's voices especially difficult.

Suggested Reading
Winkler, J.J. (1990) The Constraints of Desire: the Anthropology of Sex and Gender in Ancient Greece.

Lecture 19: https://www.bitchute.com/video/9mIMMamaWa6R/