Women and Sexuality: Lesbians, Prostitution, Marital Sex, Extramarital Sex

Introduction
During the medieval ages, the issue of women and sex remained one of the critical factors that shaped society (Schaus, 2006). During this time, women and sex remained closely linked with gender for most communities within Europe. The role of male and female gender played an important role. For example, marital sex involves a man having sex with a woman (Jewell, 2006). In a different situation where, for instance, in lesbians, there was a female gender acting as the man, and in gays, one man has to act like a woman. Regardless of this role of gender, it is evident that sex between man and man and women and women took place. However, when it comes to women’s issues and sex, several factors characterize women and sex in society. In particular, unfolding women and sex, apart from lesbians, one can’t avoid talking about prostitution, marital sex, and extramarital sex. Therefore, this essay research paper will explore women and sexuality, focusing on the issue of prostitution. The research paper will focus on unpacking insightful information on how the society during the middle age in Europe viewed prostitution. Some of the critical topics include views of the church, society, morality and legal perspective regarding prostitution. It is essential to highlight that sexuality is a broad topic, and hence this research paper narrows it down to prostitution. While the issue of women and sexuality might seem an easy topic, it is not particularly finding the primary source that comprehensively unpacks the subject’s realities.

Prostitution
Prostitution during the medieval ages referred to women having multiple sex partners, unlike the modern definition of prostitution as sex for money (Otis, 2009). Women engaged in prostitution for various reasons; however, it is essential to highlight that it was solely because of money. Unlike in the modern world, prostitution takes place in different ways. It is necessary to pinpoint that it took place in society despite the church’s firm stand against prostitution in the medical age.
During the middle age, Europe society remained organized, and natural order guided the society in various aspects (Karras, 1999). The society was structured based on church teaching that viewed God as the alpha and Omega. The hierarchy that existed placed men of God as powerful individuals that provided solutions in the society as long as sexuality and immorality were concerned. However, what is more, important is that men occupied the highest rank in the church, which meant that men addressed the issue of sexuality. For example, in a family organization, the father has bestowed the responsibility to head and provide for the family. It is worth noting that the Catholic church and other Christian based religious denominations formed a significant following. Therefore, the issues of prostitution, where women engaged in sexual intercourse to gain money as a way to provide for the family, became rare during the middle age.
Nonetheless, the male gender dominated in the society is several issues. In particular, the was a different set of rules that governed how the issue of sexuality was addressed in society. During the middle age period, the boy-child emerged as more favoured and protected when it comes to sexual immorality. For example, for women engaging in sex for monetary value was considered an abomination, while the regulation of restricting the male gender emerged relaxed. In other words, there were no strict measures for young boys who engaged in pre-marital sex. This illustrates the gender inequality that was rampant in society. Despite the restriction and various measures to curtail the female gender from engaging in prostitution, many research studies indicate that few cases of people disregard the social rules set by the church and society. There existed prostitutes who engaged in the act to provide for their kids, among other factors. More often, in this part of the population, the prostitutes lacked husbands who could provide for them.
More fundamentally, society resisted the prostitutes and often labelled them as outcasts and criminals. Any woman associated with prostitution had a poor reputation in society. In particular, in most middle-aged European countries, prostitutes took the lowest rank in society. Therefore, in general, the issue of prostitution has different meanings among various people in society, particularly the church secular, law, community and morality.
The church, specifically the Catholic church, treated and judged them as sinners and even considered criminals with disdain by the general populace. Secondly, the secular law concurred with the church when it came to the issue of prostitution. As noted, most people depended on the church’s teachings and writings. Hence, the secular law enacted laws that view the prostitutes as fallen women in society (Brundage, 2009). Across Europe, during the middle ages, the legal restrictions on issues of prostitution varied and changed over some time.
Another point is that the women associated with the act became isolated from respectable members of society. This led to the magnification of inequality, discrimination and stigmatization in society. Thirdly, the community did not tolerate any reason for engaging in the act. It was never tolerated at all. Again, the issue of prostitution differs from community to community.
Amt’s (2013, p.194) collection is a very significant piece of a collection of women’s issues and sexuality during the middle ages. In particular, it was common for people to bathhouses and order prostitutes during this period. However, the prostitutes had specific features. For example, some secondary sources of information indicate that the prostitutes wore yellow clothes or green or brown clothes that signify their activities. Or in other societies, they wore bright-colored cloth that could make them noticeable in the street. For example, in Zurich, women who practiced prostitution were compelled to wear red cats, and those who failed to identify themselves were forced to pay some fine or driven away from the town. Other instances of research indicate that in 1254, French king Louis IX ordered prostitutes to be conducted outside cities. Furthermore, the church called prostitutes not to engage in these acts around the church place.
Moreover, Lutz (1999, p.479), another secondary source of information, offered some insightful information about prostitution during the medieval ages in Europe. In early France, prostitutes receive fierce resistance and public humiliation. Some research indicated that it gained some acceptance as the issue became discussed. Over time the need to recognize prostitution became a necessity, especially to meet the needs of unmarried men during the middle ages. The urban authorities established brothels that could provide space for prostitutes to indulge in the act. In return, the town officials earn money for the services. In addition, the ability to regulate and control the industry saw the activity spread within the town of France and beyond.
Nevertheless, not all countries in Europe tolerated the act. For example, most pieces of research pointed out that there were no instances to demonstrate acceptance of prostitution in England. Instead, much literature underlines that England had tough prosecution against prostitution than any other country in Europe.
Furthermore, during late medieval Wales, it is clear that prostitution was a common practice among the people in Europe (Johnson, 2014, p.253). One of the critical findings that show evidence of prostitution includes the pre-conquest Welsh law texts. Various scholars have identified evidence from the English court and the church as the fundamental source of information that outlines the practice of prostitution during medieval Europe. Nevertheless, the attitude toward prostitution and concubinage by court officials remains unclear. What is clear is that the topic of prostitution has changed over time. In particular, society developed a negative attitude toward women engaged in prostitution. This research paper underlines that after the Welsh conquest of 1282, English and Marcher officials redefined laws that outline marital issues and divorce in Welsh society. As most scholars argue, the instance of prostitution is captured in the referenced law codes during the middle ages that presumably concur that prostitution took place during these periods (Schaus, 2006). The reason that tolerated the practice of prostitution is that both the conquered and conquerors after the conquest viewed prostitution as part of the society. In addition, it is indicated that English and Marcher in Wales had started to enforce payments on the prostitutes and concubines.
Unfortunately, from 1340 to the 1380s, the society of Wales, especially the urban setting, took a stricter stance on prostitution as the policies about concubines and prostitution changed from a broader perspective. According to Johnson (2014, p.281), the more stringent stance on these acts was mainly because of the Black Death outbreak that ravaged society. As people sought to explain the cause of the pandemic, many religious people pointed out illicit sexual acts as the causative factor. Second, the reason for stricter measures was that after the Black Death outbreak, the government wanted the population to proliferate and of the ways was to discourage prostitution among the people. Thirdly, other scholars argued that the lords Dyffryn Clwyd and secular leaders identified stricter rules and laws to punish and fine prostitutes heavily to increase avenues for collecting more money. Whatever reason is valid, it is apparent that women with poor economic status in society or those whose financial situation prevented them from entering official marriage become the targets of attacks from fines, blame, and shaming. Therefore, these historical sources of information show that prostitution was part and parcel of the medieval Welsh community.
The formation of Florentine Onestà between 1403-1680 as means to control prostitution further indicates the activities of prostitution during the middle ages (Brackett 1993, p.273). The Onesta is commonly regarded as the office of Decency) was created to control the acts of prostitution. It is worth noting that the action of controlling prostitutes signals a lot about the community of the Middle Ages on the issue of women. Society viewed women as property that needed control from the other male-dominated society. Ostensibly, the office of the Decency was created to control prostitutes but ultimately ended up exploiting prostitutes through forced registration. This is an essential piece of information that links the presence of prostitution during this period. Again, the activities of Onesta give a glimpse of how society had a negative perception of prostitution. Nonetheless, the exploitation of prostitutes through fines shows that controlling prostitution and completely uprooting the community is not as straightforward or impossible in the middle age.
Moreover, from the medieval secondary source of information, Dubrovnik is a vivid place often visited as a harbor and crossroad for an array of trade routes (Ravančić, 2019). However, it is depicted as a conservative place for the Catholic community. During this period, the case of concubines was a widespread practice in Dubrovnik. The issue presents many complexities in linking the issue of concubines with prostitution. It is recorded from the criminal records and legislative ordinances that indicate the act’s presence during this period. Notably, most men in the then society had concubines that were part and parcel of their lives, as most of them could keep the names of these concubines for many years. Establishing a variety of information about prostitution is not an easy task. Still, the preserved information about prosecution reveals that prostitution took place during these periods. The changes in the attitude toward prostitution were evident in society’s general changes. For example, on 26 February 1456, there is evidence of six women prosecuted because of their dishonest acts in the community of prostitution (Ravančić, 2019). The record shows that the six women practiced prostitution because of their economic status in a society characterized by poverty and lack of money. Since the mid fourteen century, many cases of prostitution have been recorded in traced in the legal documents. Another critical piece of information is that the act remained silent, demonstrated by the inability of the convicts to confess engaging the action effortlessly. In addition, the law sent away people accused and prosecuted of the act in society. This shows that even though prostitution took place in the community, the scarcity of information about the act illustrates that prostitution is not openly tolerated.

Conclusion
This paper has explored prostitution and lesbianism in the Middle Ages in Europe. The paper has successfully demonstrated that these acts took place during this period among different societies in Europe. Firstly, the paper unravels prostitution, where there are varied perceptions and understanding of the issue. For some communities, prostitution was less practiced than in others. The prostitutes, for example, in some urban regions were identified with specific modes of dressing. Though some communities showed tolerance of the act to meet particular reasons, it is evident that the middle ages in Europe vied prostitution negatively and thus discriminated against women associated with it. The women who engaged in the act remained condemned in society. The issue of prostitution seems to have taken place but is unspoken. The lack of source of information demonstrates this. Only limited sources and criminal acts provide little information about the topic. Another consideration, it is clear that the law used dualistic approach on regulating and controlling the morality in the community. On one hand some European societies exercised extensive implementation of Roman law that embraces theological principles. On the other hand they use new laws that seem to loosen laws and restriction on issues of prostitution. In addition, it is easy to deduce that there emerged three ways of viewing prostitution legal perspective, community perspective and moral perspective.
Therefore, it is clear that women and sexuality during the middle ages remain a broad topic that can offer varied information. The fact that there is a less primary source of information that captured the events and activities of women’s sexuality during the middle age further complicates the topic. Nevertheless, different scholars have tried to bridge the current women’s sexuality to medieval age women’s sexuality. However, trying to connect the primary and secondary sources of information about the topic will be a loss of originality. This is a significant limitation. In other words, the secondary piece of information written in the 20th century has the risk of giving ideas and opinions of medieval ages on women based on their perspective, which can lead to exaggerations of information. There is a lot to research on women’s sexuality in the future.

References

Amt, E., 2013. London prostitutes (14th c.). In Women’s Lives in Medieval Europe (pp. 194-195). Routledge.

Brackett, J.K., 1993. The Florentine Onestà and the control of prostitution, 1403-1680. The sixteenth century journal, pp.273-300.

Brundage, J. A. (2009). Law, sex, and Christian society in medieval Europe. University of Chicago Press.

Jewell, H. M. (2006). Women in dark age and early medieval Europe c. 500-1200. Macmillan International Higher Education.

Johnson, L., 2014. Sex and the Single Welshwoman: Prostitution and Concubinage in Late Medieval Wales. The Welsh History Review, 27(2), pp.253-281.

Karras, R. M. (1999). Prostitution and the question of sexual identity in medieval Europe. Journal of women’s history, 11(2), 159-177.

Otis, L.L., 2009. Prostitution in medieval society. In Prostitution in Medieval Society. University of Chicago Press.

Ravančić, G., 2019. Prostitution in Late Medieval Dubrovnik: Legislation, Practice and Prosecution.

Schaus, M. C. (Ed.). (2006). Women and gender in medieval Europe: an encyclopedia (Vol. 14). Routledge.