Penthouse and Bob Guccione

Forrest Hellard

Professor Crystal Moore

LBST 2101 The History of Sexuality

UNCC

Penthouse and Bob Guccione

During a time when men were coming back from World War II, you had the consumption rates of commercialized sex skyrocketing and people wanted more and more girls exposed. Sexual magazines used to not be as exposed in the earlier 1900’s as they were during this time. They used to show very little and were in the privacy of people. Quickly times changed especially once magazines such as Playboy and Penthouse came to the forefront. The reason I chose to talk about Penthouse is because the magazine and especially its owner Bob Guccione, played a huge role in the dynamics of sex in our society. Originally an artist, he travelled all over Africa and Europe in hopes of spreading art. It wasn’t until he got back to London where he became a managing editor for London American[1]. After doing some work on his own, he quickly came up with the idea for a mail service sexual magazine, Penthouse. Sadly during this time, Playboy was the leading provider of this service and they basically had the industry in a nutshell. Guccione went on to challenge this by making his magazine more explicit, most likely from the more liberal and sexualized society that influenced him in Europe. With the amount of competition that he faced, he created his company like a monarch and acquired a great love for the roman emperor, Caligula, from which he used a lot of tactics to run his company. Some people, including the British Parliament, had a lot of problems with the way that he ran his company and even had police raid his house multiple times[2]. Luckily for Guccione, the companies subscriptions continued to flourish and he was let go. Guccione was a much different man than Hugh Heffner because Hugh lived in a house that was surrounded by all his playmates, where as Guccione saw it as more of an art form, and surrounded his house with art and pets he adored. He even went on, later in his career, to create a magazine that was the alternative to Penthouse. Known as “Viva” this magazine was basically the Penthouse for women. One reason I respect Guccione over Heffner is because he saw sexuality as something that appeals to both men and women, and as more of an art form. Even though he was the sole creator of a sexualized magazine, it ended up revolutionizing the way we view sexuality as a whole in our world today.

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[1] "Bob Guccione." - The Oral Cancer Foundation. http://www.oralcancerfoundation.org/people/bob_guccione.htm (accessed April 29, 2014).

[2] A&E Networks Television. "Bob Guccione ." Bio.com. http://www.biography.com/people/bob-guccione-273678#penthouse&awesm=~oCS7k4N9TBErWw (accessed April 29, 2014).

WWII Impact on Sexual Liberalism

World War Two and Its Impact on Sexual Liberalism in America

By: Ashley Ciero

       World War 2 was a major factor in Sexual Liberalism in the early 1940s. It touched on porn, homosexuality, women, the work force, and family life.

       At the time of World War 2, “pornography” was becoming popular.[i] When men were off at war, they had no physical contact with their loved ones and needed some sort of relief from their troubles. Although the “pornographic” pictures were far from what we think of as obscene today, at the time they were explicit.[ii] The popularity of porn in the war encouraged the porn industry and it also led to porn being more vulgar over time.[iii]

      Homosexuality was also effected by World War 2.[iv] Although homosexuality was not legal, it was very easy for men to hook up with other men during the war.[v] Experimentation also was common because of the lack of women and need for relief. [vi]Homosexuality then became more common and the first gay bars were opened in the 1940s-despite the fact that they were “underground” and hiding from society.[vii] 

     Now that the men were off at war, the women took the place of the men in the workforce.[viii] Women became more and more popular in the public sphere.[ix] As this shift took place, women were able to become more independent and treated less like items kept in the home. Women started to show up more in the media as well because they were now a major part of the economy.[x] 

      When the men came back from war, the people were ecstatic. Men started getting their jobs back but women were still in the workforce as well.[xi] Women started taking “Pink Collar” jobs, jobs that were more feminine like nursing and teaching.[xii] With the return of men came the Baby Boomer generation.[xiii] The Baby Boomer generation was a time when many babies were being born across the country because the troops were now back with their loved ones. Family life changed as they became larger with more children.[xiv] Family life was looking better and the Great Depression was coming to an end.[xv] The economy grew and people were happy.

      Although the war was major downfall, it came with many perks too: homosexuality was not as hidden anymore and became more popular. Women broke out of the private sphere and entered the public sphere and workforce. Family life improved with the economy and families were larger. Pornography was now popular and sexuality was more liberal. [xvi]

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[i] Oberlin College LGBT Community History Project, "WWII Veterans: “A Whole Gay World Had Come Out”," Oberlin College LGBT Community History Project » Behind the Masks, http://www.oberlinlgbt.org/behind-the-masks/veterans-1 (accessed April 29, 2014)

[ii] Moore, Crystal. “The History of Sexuality in America”. Lecture, UNCC, Charlotte, NC, 2013-2014.

[iii] Albeit

[iv] Albeit

[v] Albeit

[vi] Albeit

[vii] Moore, Crystal. “The History of Sexuality in America”. Lecture, UNCC, Charlotte, NC, 2013-2014.

[viii] Discover Education, "Decade by Decade: 1940s - Women of the Century - DiscoverySchool.com." Decade by Decade: 1940s - Women of the Century - DiscoverySchool.com, http://school.discoveryeducation.com/schooladventures/womenofthecentury/decadebydecade/1940s.html (accessed April 29, 2014).

[ix] Albeit

[x] Albeit

[xi] Albeit

[xii] Albeit

[xiii] Albeit

[xiv] Albeit

[xv] Albeit

[xvi] Albeit

Sex Scandals in the political world

Sex Scandals in the Political world

Mitchell Macauley

            In todays society, seeing sex scandals arise in politics is becoming much more common than it used to be. People like President Bill Clinton, John Edwards and Elliot Spitzer are probably the most common that comes to mind, when you hear about sex scandals. However there are so many more that just those three.  At this rate at least one or two major scandals arise a year, with more that are happening on a much smaller scale.

            Easily the most popular scandal in American politics is what happened to President Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky (2). A 2 yearlong sexual relationship (1995-1997) was discovered. Monica had been telling her friend at the pentagon about her relationship with the President. After a while, her friend started to record the phone calls and hand them off to a lawyer that was trying to build a case against the president (2). The hearings for the case started in 1998. During that time president Clinton said that he is not having a sexual relationship with Lewinsky (which at that time there relationship was over) and also argued that fellatio did not technically constitute as “sex” (2). However, the grand jury did not see that the same way, and president Clinton was found guilty of perjury and having a sexual relation with a white house intern.  The senate, and house decided not to impeach Bill Clinton on the charges however.(2)

            On March 12, 2008, Elliot Spitzer resigned as the governor of New York because of a recent sex scandal that had arose just days before (1).  It was reported the Spitzer had been seen with a prostitute in a hotel in New York multiple times.  He had spent over $80,000 on prostitutes during his political career(1). He resigned on apart that he did not want his “Personal Failings” to interfere with the work that was required of the governors office.(1)

            Now when political scandals arise, the politician in question is not required to step down from office. However, most do because of the media and public scrutiny that come from the scandal. Also, because even though the act itself does not technically affect their political work, people see the politician as unfit for their office because of their poor judgment.  In the view of some family friends, they have said “why should we trust them to make decisions that affect us and our families, when they cant even be honest with their own wives”, in reference to the Anthony Weiner scandal.

            Many cases arise every year and more frequently on small and large levels. These scandals can go from sexual harassment in the work place like Samuel Kent, to sending sexual pictures of yourself like Anthony Weiner, or as major as Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky (3).  And most are dealt with by resignation or forcedly moving them out of office.

(1) Hakim, Danny, and William Rashbaum. "Spitzer Is Linked to Prostitution Ring." The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/10/nyregion/10cnd-spitzer.html?pagewanted=all (accessed April 29, 2014).

(2)Wikipedia. "Monica Lewinsky." Wikipedia-The Free Encyclopedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monica_Lewinsky (accessed April 29, 2014).

(3)Wikimedia Foundation. "List of federal political sex scandals in the   United States." Wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_federal_political_sex_scandals_in_the_United_States (accessed April 29, 2014).

Elvis Presley Sex Icon- Eric Maritato

In the 1950s when there was still conservative view on sex, Elvis Presley the king of rock and roll came into the picture. He quickly became a legend and a sex symbol for young girls and American society. Females though he was highly attractive and a beautiful superstar on and off the stage. Overtime the way he performed stage became very controversial to viewers. Elvis wiggled his hips while onstage in a sexual way that caused certain people to disapprove.[1] Local press was running headlines that Elvis Presley would have to clean up his act if he wanted to keep preforming. While watching Elvis on television the camera would often show only his top half because they thought his wiggling hips was too much for the public eye to see.[2] Critics thought Elvis was too vulgar and provocative on televisions and it would possibly end up changing the moral values in American society. Also, Parents started to turn against Elvis and his thrusting hips and prevented their children from watching his performances. They thought Elvis was having a negative effect on the youth and performances were meant for adults only. [3] Known of these critiques never stopped Elvis Presley. He danced the way he wanted to and enjoyed playing music.

 my opinion Elvis Presley changed much more than just music and the entertainment industry. Elvis changed the culture of America and helped the movement to more liberal views of sexuality in the throughout the 1950s and 1960s. Like I said before during the 1950s and 1960s views on sex were still very conservative, marriage was highly valued and youth culture was just starting to see freedom in dating. [4] Elvis Presley was one of the first people to publicly display sexuality on television. He helped give the youth a new view on sexuality. Now instead of keeping your sexuality to yourself it could be expressed and shared with others. Parents and educators began to have less control over the youth and teenagers were now beginning to be able to express themselves and their sexuality. He helped break the boundaries in the music industry which lead to more artists attempting to break the boundaries and change moral values. In conclusion Elvis Presley will not only been known as a legend in the music industry for creating rock n roll and revolutionizing music but also what he did to change the views of sexuality in America.

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[1] Wallace , Marcie . "Elvis Presely A revolutionist ." . http://www.lagrange.edu/resources/pdf/citations/2012/11_Wallace_History.pdf (accessed ).