A Single Standard: A Single Standard: Sex, Gender and the Federal - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

▶

Dec 01, 2022 35 likes •170 views

A Single Standard: A Single Standard: Sex, Gender and the Federal Sex, Gender and the Federal Government in the Twentieth Government in the Twentieth Century Century Alexandra M. Lord, Ph.D. Alexandra M. Lord, Ph.D. The

SLIDE 1

“ “A Single Standard:” A Single Standard:” Sex, Gender and the Federal Sex, Gender and the Federal Government in the Twentieth Government in the Twentieth Century Century

Alexandra M. Lord, Ph.D. Alexandra M. Lord, Ph.D. The United States Public Health The United States Public Health Service Service

SLIDE 2

Public Perceptions of STDs Public Perceptions of STDs during the Nineteenth and Early during the Nineteenth and Early Twentieth Centuries Twentieth Centuries

n nEvidence of moral corruption and “a crisis

Evidence of moral corruption and “a crisis in the family” in the family”

n nPunishment for “sexual irresponsibility”

Punishment for “sexual irresponsibility”

n nAmericans can be educated to avoid STDs

Americans can be educated to avoid STDs by practicing abstinence (or continence) by practicing abstinence (or continence)

SLIDE 3

Gender and Perceptions of Gender and Perceptions of Sexuality Sexuality

n n Women as

Women as “passionless” “passionless”

n n Female sexuality

Female sexuality exercised only within exercised only within the framework of the framework of marriage and only for marriage and only for reproductive purposes reproductive purposes

SLIDE 4

Rising Concerns About STDs in Rising Concerns About STDs in the Early Twentieth Century the Early Twentieth Century

n n Development of the Wasserman Test (1906)

Development of the Wasserman Test (1906)

n n Development of Salvarsan (1909)

Development of Salvarsan (1909)

n n World War I increased concerns regarding men’s

World War I increased concerns regarding men’s health and sexuality health and sexuality

n n Eugenics Movement increased concerns regarding

Eugenics Movement increased concerns regarding women’s health and sexuality women’s health and sexuality

SLIDE 5

Limited Understanding of Limited Understanding of Sexually Transmitted Diseases Sexually Transmitted Diseases among Americans among Americans

n n Most young men

Most young men believe that STDs can believe that STDs can be quickly and easily be quickly and easily cured cured

n n Most young women

Most young women have no knowledge of have no knowledge of STDs or their method STDs or their method

f transmission
f transmission

SLIDE 6

Sexual Revolution of the 1920s Sexual Revolution of the 1920s

n n Women no longer

Women no longer seen as “passionless” seen as “passionless”

n n Greater acceptance of

Greater acceptance of sexual intercourse sexual intercourse

utside of the
utside of the

constraints of marriage constraints of marriage

SLIDE 7

Government Response to the Government Response to the Sexual Revolution of the 1920s Sexual Revolution of the 1920s

n n Call for “return to traditional values”

Call for “return to traditional values”

n n Use of traditional female images (“the good

Use of traditional female images (“the good woman” and “the fallen woman”) in government woman” and “the fallen woman”) in government pamphlets pamphlets

SLIDE 8

Reasons for the use of traditional Reasons for the use of traditional images of women images of women

n nProvides women with clearly demarcated

Provides women with clearly demarcated role models which they should follow in a role models which they should follow in a period when women’s roles were in flux period when women’s roles were in flux

n nSimplicity of message

Simplicity of message

SLIDE 9

Images of Men in Government Images of Men in Government Sex Education Campaign Sex Education Campaign

n n “

“Real” men do not Real” men do not have sex outside of have sex outside of marriage marriage

n n “Real” men practice

“Real” men practice abstinence abstinence

SLIDE 10

World War II Causes a Shift in World War II Causes a Shift in the Government’s Approach to the Government’s Approach to STDs STDs

n n Men, especially those

Men, especially those in the military, may in the military, may have multiple sex have multiple sex partners partners

n n Men should be

Men should be provided with provided with protection protection

SLIDE 11

Images of Women Images of Women

n n Women are either

Women are either “good” (sexually pure “good” (sexually pure and therefore free of and therefore free of venereal disease) or venereal disease) or “fallen” (suffering “fallen” (suffering from venereal disease) from venereal disease)

n n No information

No information regarding prophylaxis regarding prophylaxis is to be made available is to be made available to women to women

SLIDE 12

STDs dramatically decline during STDs dramatically decline during World War II only to rise again World War II only to rise again in the 1960s and 1970s in the 1960s and 1970s

SLIDE 13