MoSex
Why does it seem like the word “sex” is so quickly associated with prurient and lurid imagery in our culture? Perhaps a portion of The Museum of Sex’s mission takes a stab at finding out why: “To preserve and present the history, evolution, and cultural significance of human sexuality”.
Affectionately called MoSex, this museum operates under bylaws which judiciously rule out financial backing from the adult entertainment industry. Over three galleries covering more than 5,000 square feet aim to avoid mainstream trivialization and kitschy expressions of sex. But where did the curators go to research and find all the historical objects that depict and illustrate New York’s sexual subcultures spanning the past 170 years? Ironically, it’s often those who most vehemently crusaded against them. Sources range from Anthony Comstock’s meticulous records and preserved artifacts documenting 19th century underground sexual activity to The Meese Commission Report of the 1980’s which presented a large collection of pornographic material to the public at government expense.
Start with Helen Jewett, a 23-year-old prostitute whose murder in 1836 exposed the city’s early commercial sex industry. Next, exhibits include early burlesque costumes; the eugenicist and birth control advocate Margaret Sanger; Julius Schmid, a sausage maker who in 1883 developed a lucrative sideline supplying condoms; sex-change pioneer Christine Jorgensen; and a nearly 70 year old spoof comic “Wonder Woman”, whose heroism involved tying people up and spanking them. Continuing on the second floor, displays run the gamut from D. H. Lawrence novels to Tijuana Bibles (small booklets of pornographic cartoons) to early stag films. A section entitled ’’Bizarre’’ covers fetishism and sadomasochistic culture while ’’Ecstasy’’ depicts high points of the sexual revolution along with growing mainstream demand for pornographic films like ’’Deep Throat.’’ The tour ends on a somber note with ’’Safe,’’ an exhibit marking the AIDS epidemic’s impact on sexual expression.
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