The endless debate

[oneiriad]

I watched a mini-mini-program about good old H.C. Andersen's sexuality, complete with the lecturer pointing out that Magasin's little piece of art-forgery from a few years ago could actually be interpreted as a gay man and a transsexual holding hands... anyway. It reminded me of something, though, which has occurred to me before. We know HC had romantic friendships with men and got his heart broken by a few ladies. We know that he made funny little marks in his diaries when he masturbated, but we have no evidence of him ever having had sex.

So. H.C. Andersen - bi-romatic asexual? Discuss.

Comments

[hippediva.livejournal.com]

Wouldn't surprise me one bit. It wasn't uncommon in the 18th and 19th centuries for men to have extremely romantic friendships that really raise eyebrows now, but they were totally emotional. In English, you have John Ruskin, JM Barrie and Lewis Carroll, all as examples of asexualism in 19th/early 20th century literature. Little boys who were 'well-brought up' in the period were often subject to a LOT of horrors that make modern psychologists faint---steel or iron cock-covers to keep them from masturbating, etc. And then there was 'public schools' which were hotbeds of sadistic sexuality among students. What we, in the 21st century have a hard time remembering is that in the 19th century, one just did NOT speak about sex at all, under ANY circumstances. (of course, not speaking makes for a very vibrant underground---all throughout Europe there were brothels that catered to everything. But try telling that to modern students who seem to think they invented sex. LOL!)