Comments on: How if women during the Renaissance were not allowed to have sex out of marriage, were men allowed to have sex http://dani.imakitten.com/59/how-if-women-during-the-renaissance-were-not-allowed-to-have-sex-out-of-marriage-were-men-allowed-to-have-sex/ Daniell reveals her innermost secrets and thoughts about life, the universe and sex Wed, 08 Sep 2010 05:29:19 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: Mark A http://dani.imakitten.com/59/how-if-women-during-the-renaissance-were-not-allowed-to-have-sex-out-of-marriage-were-men-allowed-to-have-sex/comment-page-1/#comment-274 Mark A Fri, 30 Jan 2009 06:33:43 +0000 http://dani.imakitten.com/59/how-if-women-during-the-renaissance-were-not-allowed-to-have-sex-out-of-marriage-were-men-allowed-to-have-sex/#comment-274 Most of the historical records we have from the Renaissance come from a specific socioeconomic class - the Patricians or quasi-aristocracy. This is where we get our understanding of the social mores of the Renaissance. In the Patrician class women were powerless outside the home, and had severe restrictions imposed on their associations and their movements. However, the majority of the population, who were at best semi-literate, left few records of their social life. We can assume from tax records of the time that there was a large population that did not operate according to the same social rules of the Patricians. In this class, women worked by neccessity and therefore had to have some freedom. They were not restricted by the constraints on their upperclass counterparts. As many posters have written, prostitution was widespread during this time and this would have provided men with opportunities to partake in unmarried sex; indeed, in Renaissance Venice brothels were regulated by the government. With the expenses of marrying off a daughter (the crippling dowry, the ceremony etc) many Patrician fathers who had several daughters chose to send the daughters they could not afford to marry off to the convent to become nuns. Unwilling young girls in such a closed environment were soon exploited and there are many historical accounts of convents being set up as brothels! Most of the historical records we have from the Renaissance come from a specific socioeconomic class - the Patricians or quasi-aristocracy. This is where we get our understanding of the social mores of the Renaissance. In the Patrician class women were powerless outside the home, and had severe restrictions imposed on their associations and their movements.

However, the majority of the population, who were at best semi-literate, left few records of their social life. We can assume from tax records of the time that there was a large population that did not operate according to the same social rules of the Patricians. In this class, women worked by neccessity and therefore had to have some freedom. They were not restricted by the constraints on their upperclass counterparts.

As many posters have written, prostitution was widespread during this time and this would have provided men with opportunities to partake in unmarried sex; indeed, in Renaissance Venice brothels were regulated by the government.

With the expenses of marrying off a daughter (the crippling dowry, the ceremony etc) many Patrician fathers who had several daughters chose to send the daughters they could not afford to marry off to the convent to become nuns. Unwilling young girls in such a closed environment were soon exploited and there are many historical accounts of convents being set up as brothels!

]]> By: random6x7 http://dani.imakitten.com/59/how-if-women-during-the-renaissance-were-not-allowed-to-have-sex-out-of-marriage-were-men-allowed-to-have-sex/comment-page-1/#comment-273 random6x7 Thu, 29 Jan 2009 13:09:50 +0000 http://dani.imakitten.com/59/how-if-women-during-the-renaissance-were-not-allowed-to-have-sex-out-of-marriage-were-men-allowed-to-have-sex/#comment-273 Prostitution was one way. There were a lot of courtesans back then, for the upper class guys, and your regular streetwalkers for the lower class ones. If you, a woman, didn't have a husband or a father, then your employment options were pretty much limited to servant or prostitute. Also, people don't always do what they're supposed to. Some married women would have affairs, and some unmarried women would have sex without getting paid for it. Of course, the women who did have sex outside of marriage were scandalous at best. Courtesans were blamed for plagues, and unmarried nonvirginal women were outcasts. Getting caught or making a living out of it wasn't exactly fun, but women did do it. Prostitution was one way. There were a lot of courtesans back then, for the upper class guys, and your regular streetwalkers for the lower class ones. If you, a woman, didn’t have a husband or a father, then your employment options were pretty much limited to servant or prostitute. Also, people don’t always do what they’re supposed to. Some married women would have affairs, and some unmarried women would have sex without getting paid for it. Of course, the women who did have sex outside of marriage were scandalous at best. Courtesans were blamed for plagues, and unmarried nonvirginal women were outcasts. Getting caught or making a living out of it wasn’t exactly fun, but women did do it.

]]> By: gefyonx http://dani.imakitten.com/59/how-if-women-during-the-renaissance-were-not-allowed-to-have-sex-out-of-marriage-were-men-allowed-to-have-sex/comment-page-1/#comment-272 gefyonx Mon, 26 Jan 2009 18:44:41 +0000 http://dani.imakitten.com/59/how-if-women-during-the-renaissance-were-not-allowed-to-have-sex-out-of-marriage-were-men-allowed-to-have-sex/#comment-272 1) Even back in the Renaissance, there were unmarried women. 2) The married women didn't obey the rules! 1) Even back in the Renaissance, there were unmarried women.

2) The married women didn’t obey the rules!

]]> By: Sakira http://dani.imakitten.com/59/how-if-women-during-the-renaissance-were-not-allowed-to-have-sex-out-of-marriage-were-men-allowed-to-have-sex/comment-page-1/#comment-271 Sakira Mon, 26 Jan 2009 10:48:33 +0000 http://dani.imakitten.com/59/how-if-women-during-the-renaissance-were-not-allowed-to-have-sex-out-of-marriage-were-men-allowed-to-have-sex/#comment-271 Put simply, waaaaaaay back all firmly believed women were a walking sin because of Eve. Therefore they were controlled and told they had to repent, while the men just did as they pleased. Sad but true. Put simply, waaaaaaay back all firmly believed women were a walking sin because of Eve. Therefore they were controlled and told they had to repent, while the men just did as they pleased.

Sad but true.

]]> By: da_fett the conqueror http://dani.imakitten.com/59/how-if-women-during-the-renaissance-were-not-allowed-to-have-sex-out-of-marriage-were-men-allowed-to-have-sex/comment-page-1/#comment-270 da_fett the conqueror Sat, 24 Jan 2009 09:03:34 +0000 http://dani.imakitten.com/59/how-if-women-during-the-renaissance-were-not-allowed-to-have-sex-out-of-marriage-were-men-allowed-to-have-sex/#comment-270 Perhaps the woman that a husband was having sex with wasn't married herself. Perhaps the woman that a husband was having sex with wasn’t married herself.

]]> By: Johno http://dani.imakitten.com/59/how-if-women-during-the-renaissance-were-not-allowed-to-have-sex-out-of-marriage-were-men-allowed-to-have-sex/comment-page-1/#comment-269 Johno Fri, 23 Jan 2009 15:32:07 +0000 http://dani.imakitten.com/59/how-if-women-during-the-renaissance-were-not-allowed-to-have-sex-out-of-marriage-were-men-allowed-to-have-sex/#comment-269 Most normal people were to busy trying to survive in these times, let alone have affairs. It was just the upper class who did this sort of thing and well I suppose they still do it today, so nothing has changed. Most normal people were to busy trying to survive in these times, let alone have affairs. It was just the upper class who did this sort of thing and well I suppose they still do it today, so nothing has changed.

]]> By: jfer http://dani.imakitten.com/59/how-if-women-during-the-renaissance-were-not-allowed-to-have-sex-out-of-marriage-were-men-allowed-to-have-sex/comment-page-1/#comment-268 jfer Wed, 21 Jan 2009 04:43:18 +0000 http://dani.imakitten.com/59/how-if-women-during-the-renaissance-were-not-allowed-to-have-sex-out-of-marriage-were-men-allowed-to-have-sex/#comment-268 yeah, the women only had sex with their husbands and the men only had sex with women. ha ha yeah, the women only had sex with their husbands and the men only had sex with women.

ha ha

]]> By: fizzygurrl1980 http://dani.imakitten.com/59/how-if-women-during-the-renaissance-were-not-allowed-to-have-sex-out-of-marriage-were-men-allowed-to-have-sex/comment-page-1/#comment-267 fizzygurrl1980 Mon, 19 Jan 2009 05:02:58 +0000 http://dani.imakitten.com/59/how-if-women-during-the-renaissance-were-not-allowed-to-have-sex-out-of-marriage-were-men-allowed-to-have-sex/#comment-267 Easy- haven't you ever heard people refer to prostitution as the "world's oldest profession?" The dudes went to Renaissance hookers, or sometimes there were just peasant women, widows and such, who didn't mind tossing a freebie to noble dudes like knights and such. Easy- haven’t you ever heard people refer to prostitution as the “world’s oldest profession?” The dudes went to Renaissance hookers, or sometimes there were just peasant women, widows and such, who didn’t mind tossing a freebie to noble dudes like knights and such.

]]> By: Theodore H http://dani.imakitten.com/59/how-if-women-during-the-renaissance-were-not-allowed-to-have-sex-out-of-marriage-were-men-allowed-to-have-sex/comment-page-1/#comment-266 Theodore H Sat, 17 Jan 2009 03:37:48 +0000 http://dani.imakitten.com/59/how-if-women-during-the-renaissance-were-not-allowed-to-have-sex-out-of-marriage-were-men-allowed-to-have-sex/#comment-266 Well, of course, it makes sense! This could be arranged. The men would simply have sex with prostitutes, courtesans, and mistresses. And the married women would have sex only with their husbands. Well, of course, it makes sense! This could be arranged. The men would simply have sex with prostitutes, courtesans, and mistresses. And the married women would have sex only with their husbands.

]]> By: Swift Wings http://dani.imakitten.com/59/how-if-women-during-the-renaissance-were-not-allowed-to-have-sex-out-of-marriage-were-men-allowed-to-have-sex/comment-page-1/#comment-265 Swift Wings Fri, 16 Jan 2009 03:14:04 +0000 http://dani.imakitten.com/59/how-if-women-during-the-renaissance-were-not-allowed-to-have-sex-out-of-marriage-were-men-allowed-to-have-sex/#comment-265 It makes perfect sense. It makes perfect sense.

]]>