Our co-director, Professor Kate Fisher, and Engaged Research Fellow, Dr Jen Grove, work with Professor Rebecca Langlands (University of Exeter) on the Sex and History project. This award-winning initiative works in collaboration with museums, schools, youth groups and sexual health charities, using objects from past cultures to empower people to discuss sexuality more easily.
This approach draws upon and speaks to our research on the early sexual scientists, whose understanding of sexuality and gender was informed, not only by their medical backgrounds, but by artistic, cultural and historical materials and evidence, including historical artefacts. In this way the Sex and History project answers calls in the UK and worldwide for young people’s sex education to address non-biological aspects of healthy sexual development, such as relationships, consent and self-esteem.