Pornography

After 1740, pornography was the only 'acceptable' place in which women were depicted as enjoying sexual acts. ¹³ There did exist some homosexual pornography-- however, pornography in general featured a corrupted version of the heterosexual sort. ¹⁴ When pornography was homosexual in nature, it usually involved two females involved in sexual relations. This was due to the simple fact that pornography was created by and for the viewing pleasure of males.

There were many attempts made to ban a large majority of the books of the time which could be viewed as being pornographic in nature. Erasmus Darwin advised governesses to express shock and disapproval of less than proper passages in books which were often read in schools. But, he did not advise censorship, because he felt that "it might only raise curiosity, and induce young people to examine different copies of the same work, and to seek for other improper books themselves." ¹⁵

In addition to the authors who wrote the sexually explicit novels, print sellers also engaged in the commercialism of porn. In their shop windows, they displayed pictures of the activities which took place behind the closed doors of brothels. ¹⁶ This proves that any person with the desire to understand lesbian relationships would have the ability to gain access to material depicting both these relationships, as well as other forms of heterosexual sex.

Three women enjoying the company of a man disguised as a nun (1803), from Sex in Georgian England by A.D. Harvey

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