The History of Modern Sexuality in Europe

  • Margret Clap’s Molly House

    Margret Clap’s Molly House
    Trial transcript from the Old Bailey regarding Margaret Clap’s trial in 1726. Margaret Clap ran one of the most popular coffeehouses in London, also called molly houses for being places that gay men would go to socialize. Mother Clap, the coffeehouse, was raided in February of 1926 leading to her trial where she was indicted for running an established that encouraged sodomy.
  • First Magdalene house opened inspired by Mary Magdalene

    First Magdalene house opened inspired by Mary Magdalene
    A painting of Mary Magdalene paint by Georges de la Tour in 1640. Although painted in 1640, this painting regained significance when it was the inspiration for the Magdalene houses. Served to 'rescue' prostitutes all over Europe, the first house opened in 1767. The significance behind Mary Magdalene is she was viewed a women of sexual sin who was saved by Jesus.
  • Darwinism

    Darwinism
    A caricature by André Gill poking fun at Darwins book "The Formation of Vegetable Mould through the Action of Worms, with Observations of their Habits ". The significance points at the simplification of Darwins theory and making them into simple ideas. although making it available to more people it allowed for use of the concept in inappropriate way like condoning the ideology that gay men were not the fittest.
  • Magnus Hirschfeld

    Magnus Hirschfeld
    Photograph of Magnus Hirschfeld and his partner at the fourth conference of the World League for Sexual Reform in 1932. Demonstrating the large influence this man had as the leader of the German homosexual emancipation movement.
  • Prostitution during the Nazi Regime

    Prostitution during the Nazi Regime
    Photograph of German soldiers entering a brothel in Brest, France in 1940. Noticeable in the image, the building they are using used to be a synagogue. This photograph demonstrates the use of prostitutes in wartime by the Germans even though Adolf Hitler dismissed them as being poisonous to the nation.