Censoring Sex

In this gracefully written, accessible and entertaining volume, John Semonche surveys censorship for reasons of sex from the nineteenth century up until the present. He covers the various forms of American media-books and periodicals, pictorial art, motion pictures, music and dance, and radio, television, and the Internet. Despite the varieties of censorship, running from self-censorship to government bans, a common story is told. In each of the areas, Semonche explains via abundant examples how and why censorship took place. He also details how the cultural territory contested by those advocating and opposing censorship diminished over the course of the last two centuries.

John E. Semonche

1 Introduction Chapter 2 1. Books and Periodicals: Seduction by the Written Word and Maybe a Picture or Two Chapter 3 2. Paintings, Sculptures, and Other Pictorial Arts: You Call Dirty Pictures Art? Chapter 4 3. The Movies: Teaching the Wrong Lessons and in the Dark As Well Chapter 5 4. Music and Dance: Stirring the Senses and Unleashing the Beast Chapter 6 5. Radio, Television, and the Internet: Home Invaders 7 Epilogue