Originally published in 1977. For centuries myth, misinformation and taboo have distorted our vision of our sexual nature. This book examines such cultural phenomena: from Greek dualistic thought to Buddhist philosophy; from the attempt of early Christian sects to promote total chastity to homosexual practices among the Arabs. It explains Victorian theories about masturbation and madness, sexist dogmas limiting feminine potential, social attitudes towards abortion over time; and much more. Extensively researched, this fascinating classic work is a comprehensive summary of our knowledge of past sexual attitudes as well as an appraisal of the causes and direction of sexual revolution.

Originally published in 1977. For centuries myth, misinformation and taboo have distorted our vision of our sexual nature. This book examines such cultural phenomena: from Greek dualistic thought to Buddhist philosophy; from the attempt of early Christian sects to promote total chastity to homosexual practices among the Arabs. It explains Victorian theories about masturbation and madness, sexist dogmas limiting feminine potential, social attitudes towards abortion over time; and much more. Extensively researched, this fascinating classic work is a comprehensive summary of our knowledge of past sexual attitudes as well as an appraisal of the causes and direction of sexual revolution.

Originally published in 1979, The Care of the Sick is a detailed and comprehensive exploration of the emergence of modern nursing. Beginning with primitive and early historical nursing, the book traces the development of nursing through the ages and covers a variety of key topics, including the rise of the trained nurse; the problems faced by nursing during its development as a profession; education and working conditions; the government and nursing; the economics of nursing; and how the image of nursing has changed over time. Extensive and thorough, The Care of the Sick will appeal to those with an interest in the history of nursing, the history of medicine, and social history.

From cross-dressing to altering one's sex by undergoing hormone therapy and radical surgery, "gender blending" has reached new levels of popularity. Gender Blending is an up-to-date account of this compelling trend that is rapidly altering the frontiers of human sexuality. The changes occurring in this area of lifestyle research are vast and rapid. This book looks at biological, sociological, psychological, historical, anthropological, religious, and other aspects of gender blending to find common ground among researchers in all areas. By representing a unique collaboration of experts and those involved in gender blending, this groundbreaking work could spell the beginning of a sexual renaissance.

Gender Blending includes essays on transvestism (cross-dressing), gender heresy, androgyny, religion and the cross-dresser, transgender healthcare, free expression, sex change surgery, loving transvestites, gender blending in literature, virtual gender, counseling and treatment, the law and transsexuals, and much more.

First Published in 1994. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

In any society, the perception of femininity and masculinity is not necessarily dependent on female or male genitalia. Cross dressing, gender impersonation, and long-term masquerades of the opposite sex are commonplace throughout history. In contemporary American culture, the behavior occurs most often among male heterosexuals and homosexuals, sometimes for erotic pleasure, sometimes not. In the past, however, cross dressing was for the most part practiced more often by women than men. Although males often burlesqued women and gave comic impersonations of them, they rarely attempted a change of public gender until the twentieth century. This phenomenon, according to Vern L. Bullough and Bonnie Bullough, has implications for any understanding of the changing relationships between the sexes in the twentieth century. In most Western societies, being a man and demonstrating masculinity is more highly prized than being a woman and displaying femininity. Some non-Western societies, however, are more tolerant and even encourage men to behave like women and women to act like men. Cross Dressing, Sex, and Gender not only surveys cross dressing and gender impersonation throughout history and in a variety of cultures but also examines the medical, biological, psychological, and sociological findings that have been presented in the modern scientific literature. This volume offers the results of the authors' research into contemporary gender issues and the search for explanations. After examining the various current theories regarding cross dressing and gender impersonation, the Bulloughs offer their own theory. This book, widely deemed a classic in its field, is the culmination of thirty years of research by the Bulloughs into gender impersonation and cross dressing. Their groundbreaking findings will be of interest to anyone involved in the debate over nature versus nurture, and have implications not only for scholars in the various social sciences and sex and gender studies, but for educators, nurses, physicians, feminists, gays, lesbians, and general readers. This work will be of more personal interest to anyone who identifies as a transvestite or transsexual or who has been classified by medical and psychiatric professionals as suffering from gender dysphoria. Cross Dressing, Sex, and Gender covers a wide range of cultures and periods. As the first comprehensive attempt to examine the phenomenon of cross dressing, it will be of interest to students and scholars of social history, sociology, nursing, and women's studies.