Essence Über Alles
By Dian Hanson. Excerpt from the book 'History of Men's Magazines, Vol. I'
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That started a life-long campaign against sexual literature that would lead to a pivotal law used to prosecute American publishers to this day. Comstock, with the backing of the Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA), lobbied the US government so long and hard that they finally gave this civilian bookkeeper power over the American postal service.
Why? Because along with the sin rampant in his Brooklyn neighborhood, Comstock had detected a flood of vile obscenity flowing into the US from across the sea, which was then being dispersed to vulnerable innocents via the US mail. He would not rest until he had taught the Europeans not to mess with America's male essence.
The French were leaders from the start in the photographic arts and by the late 1860s they were perfecting ways of printing naughty photographs. French postcards and playing cards were created at this time and were an immediate hit with men everywhere. Accordingly, in the 1870s the French produced the earliest men's magazines in the form of programs for Parisian cabarets that included photographs of bare breasted dancers. When American men got wind of these advances they were understandably eager to augment their educations with French studies. A few of the more enterprising entered the import trade. With the support of experts like Dr. Napheys, Reverend Sylvester Graham of Graham cracker fame, and John Harvey Kellogg, breakfast cereal inventor, enema enthusiast and rabid semen conservationist, Anthony Comstock convinced the US government that the new obscene literature from abroad put America's collective male essence in imminent peril. His passion for the suppression of passion was so convincing that in 1873 they adopted what has come to be called The Comstock Law. Its, ah, essence:
"That no obscene, lewd or lascivious book, pamphlet, picture, paper, print, or other publication of an indecent character, or any article or thing designed or intended for the prevention of contraception, or procuring of abortion, nor any article or thing intended or adapted for any indecent or immoral use or nature, nor any written or printed card, circular, book, pamphlet, advertisement or notice of any kind giving information directly or indirectly, where, or how, or of whom, or by what means either of the things before mentioned may be obtained or made, nor any letter upon the envelope of which, or postal-card upon which indecent or scurrilous epithets may be written or printed, shall be carried in the mail..."
The Comstock Law put quite a crimp in the dissemination of early sexual materials in America, but the publicity surrounding ist passage - contained in the newly available magazines and tabloid newspapers - also alerted the public to the existence of such literature. Most men hadn't even imagined that these things existed, but once they knew, and knew how much - Comstock claimed that literal tons were being shipped into the country - they wanted it.
Page [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]
Page [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]
That started a life-long campaign against sexual literature that would lead to a pivotal law used to prosecute American publishers to this day. Comstock, with the backing of the Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA), lobbied the US government so long and hard that they finally gave this civilian bookkeeper power over the American postal service.
Why? Because along with the sin rampant in his Brooklyn neighborhood, Comstock had detected a flood of vile obscenity flowing into the US from across the sea, which was then being dispersed to vulnerable innocents via the US mail. He would not rest until he had taught the Europeans not to mess with America's male essence.
The French were leaders from the start in the photographic arts and by the late 1860s they were perfecting ways of printing naughty photographs. French postcards and playing cards were created at this time and were an immediate hit with men everywhere. Accordingly, in the 1870s the French produced the earliest men's magazines in the form of programs for Parisian cabarets that included photographs of bare breasted dancers. When American men got wind of these advances they were understandably eager to augment their educations with French studies. A few of the more enterprising entered the import trade. With the support of experts like Dr. Napheys, Reverend Sylvester Graham of Graham cracker fame, and John Harvey Kellogg, breakfast cereal inventor, enema enthusiast and rabid semen conservationist, Anthony Comstock convinced the US government that the new obscene literature from abroad put America's collective male essence in imminent peril. His passion for the suppression of passion was so convincing that in 1873 they adopted what has come to be called The Comstock Law. Its, ah, essence:
"That no obscene, lewd or lascivious book, pamphlet, picture, paper, print, or other publication of an indecent character, or any article or thing designed or intended for the prevention of contraception, or procuring of abortion, nor any article or thing intended or adapted for any indecent or immoral use or nature, nor any written or printed card, circular, book, pamphlet, advertisement or notice of any kind giving information directly or indirectly, where, or how, or of whom, or by what means either of the things before mentioned may be obtained or made, nor any letter upon the envelope of which, or postal-card upon which indecent or scurrilous epithets may be written or printed, shall be carried in the mail..."
The Comstock Law put quite a crimp in the dissemination of early sexual materials in America, but the publicity surrounding ist passage - contained in the newly available magazines and tabloid newspapers - also alerted the public to the existence of such literature. Most men hadn't even imagined that these things existed, but once they knew, and knew how much - Comstock claimed that literal tons were being shipped into the country - they wanted it.
Page [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]
History of Men's Magazines Vol. 1
Hardcover, 21.3 x 27.7 cm (8.4 x 10.9 in.), 460 pages
$ 59.99
$ 59.99
The definitive annotated and illustrated history of girlie periodicals (1900-World War II)
Sensations, France, 1953