Psychology of sex - Total No. of Records in System :: 2032

PSYCHOLOGY OF SEXrule against the exposure of the body was most stringent,a European lady in full dress was still allowed more orless to uncover the breasts. Savages, on the contrary, donot usually show any great admiration for this part ofthe body. Various savage peoples even regard the developmentof the breasts as ugly and adopt devices for flatteningthem. The feeling that prompts this ispractice notunknown in modern Europe, while in medieval Europe,indeed, the generalideal of feminine slenderness was opposedto developed breasts, and the garments tended tocompress them. But in a high degree of civilization thisfeeling is unknown, as, indeed, it is unknown to mostbarbarians. The admiration accorded to developed breastsand pelvis is evidenced by the practice of tightening thewaist girth,embodied in the ancient corset. This practicehas sometimes been almost universalamong peoples ofnot unknown among other races.white race and isAnother prominent secondary sexual character, belongingto man, and, unlike the breasts and hips, not obviouslyan index of functional sexual activity, is the beard.This may be regarded as a purely sexual ornament comparableto the somewhat similar growths on the heads ofmale animals. The cultivation of the beard variesmanyat different periods of culture, and belongs peculiarly tobarbarous peoples who sometimes regardit as sacred. Incivilization, it tends to lose this significance, and its valueas a sexual ornament is diminished or lost altogether.This was so even in ancient civilizations. Thus in earlyRome beards and long hair were worn, but not in laterRome, when epilation of the pubes also became commonfor women, while beards, considered as indications ofgravity and wisdom, were usually reserved for philosophers.In Greek statues the pubes of women is usuallyhairless but this does not indicate a general custom in real[70]