VIRUS Band 18, pp. 149-168, 2020/07/09
Konzepte sexueller Gesundheit vom Mittelalter bis zum 21. Jahrhundert
At the turn of the century, female sexuality was increasingly discussed, but remained a delicate topic due to social morals and censorship measures. Nonetheless, Anna Fischer-Dückelmann, one of the first female doctors in the German-speaking world, uses “The Sex-Life of Woman” (1901) to inform her female target audience about the female body and sexuality. Recent historical studies have shown that the German turn-of-the-century society was in the process of finding a language to discuss taboo topics such as female sexuality. Simultaneously, a public debate on sexuality and its social significance evolved. With the help of examples drawn from Historical Discourse Analysis (Achim Landwehr) and Critical Discourse Analysis (Siegfried Jäger), this article illustrates Fischer-Dückelmanns’ concept of female sexuality. Furthermore, this paper aims at giving insight into the turn-of-the-century discourse on sexuality by analyzing the discursive strategies that facilitate the discourse on female sexuality.
Keywords: Turn-of-the-Century, 1900, German-Speaking World, Historical Discourse Analysis, Critical Discourse Analysis, Discursive Strategies, Female Sexuality, Contraception, Female Homosexuality, Moral Reform