Holding it Straight: Sexual Orientation in the Middle Ages

Lecture by Dr Robert Mills, UCL History of Art

Given at University College London, on October 22, 2013

Historians tend to be reticent about applying the phrase ‘sexual orientation’ to periods before the nineteenth century, but should we be so quick to dismiss the concept? Focusing on depictions of virgins and sodomites – two seemingly opposing categories – this talk will explore how medieval encounters with sex were shaped by concepts of space and orientation.

To listen to the lecture as audio:

See also Medieval representations of sodomy, an interview with Dr. Mills where he discusses how medieval artists developed strategies of depicting taboo practices.


See also: Sex in the Middle Ages

See also: Same-Sex Relations in the Middle Ages