A Brief, Juicy History of Sex: Masturbation, Kink, and Queerness

By Hail Groo, Historian of Gender and Sexuality

Many people act like sex—especially queer sex, masturbation, kink, and anything "taboo"—is some modern invention. But trust me: humans have been finding creative ways to get off (and get weird) since we first figured out what body parts do.

Whether you’re deep into Masturbation May (hello, my people), curious about where sex toys came from, or just want to impress your next hookup with some spicy historical trivia, buckle up. Today we’re going on a quick and dirty ride through the history of masturbation, queer sexuality, nonbinary identities, contraception, and kink.

Masturbation: Old as Time, Still Fighting Stigma

Let’s start with something near and dear to all of us: masturbation. The history of masturbation is a surprisingly rich one, but sadly, so is the history of people freaking out about it.

Ancient Egypt & Greece: There’s evidence that the Egyptians believed the god Atum created the universe by masturbating. Talk about powerful solo play.

The Middle Ages: Masturbation was labeled a sin, thanks largely to Christian doctrine. But as sex historian Esmé Louise James points out in Kinky History, even when the Church tried to shut it down, people kept their hands busy (James, 2023).

Discovery of Sperm: Fun fact: Dutch scientist Antony van Leeuwenhoek discovered sperm in 1677 by… examining his own ejaculate under a microscope. He didn’t call it masturbation because that would have been sinful—it was just science (James, 2023).

TL;DR

Humans have always masturbated. The shame? That came later—and we’re still shaking it off today.

Sex Toys: Your Bedside Drawer Has Ancient Roots

If you’ve ever thanked your favorite vibrator for saving your life (I know I have), you owe a debt to thousands of years of innovation. The history of sex toys goes way, way back.

Ancient Dildos: Archaeologists have unearthed stone and ivory dildos dating back over 30,000 years. That’s older than written history.

Victorian "Massagers": You’ve probably heard the myth that vibrators were invented to cure “hysteria” in women. While it’s been sensationalized, it’s true that early vibrators were medical tools used by doctors to induce "hysterical paroxysm"—aka orgasms (James, 2023).

Queer Sex Toys: Queer folks have always found ways to adapt toys for their pleasure, long before mainstream companies recognized the market. Leather communities in the mid-20th century helped pioneer what we think of as modern kink gear, from harnesses to strap-ons.

TL;DR

Your favorite toy is part of a long, proud tradition of sexual ingenuity.

Kink: It’s Not Just a "Fifty Shades" Thing

Contrary to what your vanilla friend might think, kink didn’t pop into existence when Fifty Shades of Grey hit the shelves. Kink in history is as old as sex itself.

Ancient Rome: Romans had a thing for public whippings and BDSM-style spectacles. Emperor Tiberius was known for his elaborate (and sometimes brutal) sexual games (James, 2023).

Victorian Era: While outwardly prim, the Victorians were obsessed with spanking, flagellation, and other kinks. Brothels specializing in BDSM thrived—just ask Victor Hugo, who was such a loyal customer that Parisian brothels closed for a day of mourning when he died (James, 2023).

Modern Leather & Fetish Communities: The leather scene that emerged post-WWII laid the foundation for modern kink culture. Rooted in queer spaces, these communities helped legitimize kink as identity and practice.

TL;DR

Kink is older—and queerer—than most people think.

 

Nonbinary and Gender-Expansive Identities: Always Here

Let’s set the record straight: nonbinary gender history is not a Gen Z trend. It’s a human tradition that spans continents and millennia.

Inanna & Ancient Sumer: In the 23rd century BCE, the goddess Inanna’s cult was full of priests and followers who defied gender binaries. Some were said to be transformed from one gender to another as part of sacred rituals (Cloud Dancers Foundation, 2021).

Hijras of India: Recognized in ancient Hindu texts like the Kama Sutra, hijras are a third-gender category that has existed for thousands of years and still hold cultural significance today (Cloud Dancers Foundation, 2021).

Two-Spirit People: Over 150 Native American tribes had roles for two-spirit individuals, people who embodied both masculine and feminine traits and often held spiritual or leadership roles (US DHHS, 2021).

TL;DR

Binary gender is a colonial export. Nonbinary people have always existed—and thrived.

Queer Sexuality: A Global, Timeless Phenomenon

The history of queer sex and LGBTQ sex history is so rich and varied that we could write a whole book (hey, maybe I should…). But here’s a taste:

Julius Caesar: Described as "every woman’s man and every man’s woman," Caesar's bisexuality was well known, and he was rumored to have enjoyed cross-dressing (James, 2023).

Oscar Wilde: His 1895 trial popularized the term “queer” as a slur, but today we proudly reclaim it as an umbrella for LGBTQ identities (Bishopsgate Institute).

20th Century Activism: From the Stonewall riots to ACT UP and Queer Nation, queer sex has been a site of resistance and liberation. As we've reclaimed our desires, we've also reshaped culture and history.

TL;DR

Queer sex isn’t just part of history—it is history.

Birth Control: A Story of Struggle and Innovation

The history of birth control is messy, fascinating, and a reminder of how hard people have fought for reproductive autonomy.

Ancient Contraceptives: In ancient Egypt, crocodile dung mixed with honey was used as a contraceptive pessary. (Yes, really.)

Silphium: This now-extinct plant was so prized for its contraceptive properties that it appeared on Roman coins. Overharvesting likely wiped it out (James, 2023).

20th Century: The advent of the pill in the 1960s revolutionized sexual freedom—but it also highlighted racial and gender disparities, as marginalized groups were often subjected to forced sterilization or coerced into birth control programs.

TL;DR

Contraception has always been political—and people have always found ways to try to control their fertility.

Why This History Matters

We’re living in a time of both incredible progress and painful backlash. Anti-LGBTQ+ laws, attacks on reproductive rights, and sex-negative narratives are still rampant. But by looking at the history of masturbation, sex toys, kink, and queer sexuality, we see one undeniable truth:

We’ve always been here.

And we’ve always found ways to reclaim joy, pleasure, and autonomy—no matter the obstacles.

So this Masturbation May (and every other month), remember that your pleasure is part of a long, rebellious, beautiful tradition.

Stay juicy, stay loud, and keep making history.

 

Sources:

James, Esmé Louise. Kinky History. 2023. 

Cloud Dancers Foundation. "A Brief History of Nonbinary Gender." 2021.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. "Two-Spirit and Native LGBTQ+ Health." 2021.

Bishopsgate Institute. "Queer History Collections."