Pre columbian puerto sexuality

Sex as we know it was not the same back in the 1400’s. If you practice something out of the "normal", such as anal, it is considered taboo. Well back in the 1400’s before the Spanish discovered America the sexual practices were vastly different then what we know today.

Sexual Practices

There were all kinds of sex that was being practiced such as oral, vaginal and anal. Men would have sex with men and they were not seen as homosexuals. All kinds of sexuality was practiced, homosexuality, bisexuality, and heterosexuality. Pre-marital sex and fornication was practiced by both men and woman. Children were taught about sex at a very young age. They were encouraged to masturbate and explore their genitals. Sex was used more than just for physical pleasure or reproductive purposes. A woman’s sexuality was powerful. It was used to settle debts as well as help create peace within tribes. When a woman first begins to menstruate there were certain rituals that would take place to acknowledge that she is now a woman and ready to get married1. When leaders decide to retire they pass their leadership title to the next person by having sexual intercourse with them. Majority of the leaders were elected men. There were some woman that would be elected as leaders but very few.

Homosexuality

Homosexuality was accepted by all. The natives did not look at things in a physical matter but instead in spiritual one. This is why they did not see homosexuality as taboo. Homosexuals were seen as if they were double blessed because they had both the spirit of a man and a woman. There were called “two spirit” . Men who would act and dress like woman were known as berdache. They were not seen as men but a woman. These men took woman’s roles in the tribe and married men. Woman who acted like men were seen as men in the tribe. They would take in woman wives. These woman would hunt, fight in war and help elect leaders. Two spirits did not see themselves as homosexuals, but as a normal person. These two spirits knew as children that they were meant to be the opposite sex. As kids they would begin to change. The girls would avoid all together how to do any famine tasks and the boys would avoid how to hunt and any other manly tasks. Adults would catch on to this and accept it.

Masturbation

Masturbation was practiced by everyone men, women, and even children. Men definitely masturbated more often than woman. Children were often shown how to masturbate from their parents. The parents would show physical affection in front of their children. That’s how they were able to learn about sex, thru seeing it from their parents or hearing adults talk about it. Some parents would even touch and kiss their children’s genitals. This was more when the children were babies. Children would talk to each other about there sexual experiences.

Marriage

In order to get married you had to be sexually matured. This means that the woman has already began menstruating. Pre-marital sex was practiced by all. Being a virgin for your husband was not something they cared for. The woman had the choice to marry whomever they wanted. They usually had many different suitors to choose from. Each would come up to her and state there case on why she should choose them. The suitor must meet that woman’s family first and bring gifts. At the end of it all the woman makes the final decision of who she will marry. Courtship rituals depend from tribe to tribe. Being monogamous was something that was not common. It was not taboo for the man or woman to have sexual relationships with someone out of the marriage. Each marriage was different. It all depended on the couple themselves. Some men did not allow it and if they caught their wives committing adultery they would beat, mutilate and/or even kill them. Men who were unfaithful would usually not have to suffer any consequences. But there were some woman who would beat their husbands for not being faithful. Sex was important in a marriage. It kept the peace so to speak. If the man was withholding sex the wife could divorce him. Having children was another must in a marriage. If you could not bear children or would have still born births was very concerning. The husband could divorce his wife if she could not give him healthy children. Any deformed babies were killed and at times so was the mother.1 The inheritance was passed through the mother’s side. The husband would take the wife’s last name and would come to live with the wife and her family in her mother’s home. Domestic violence was not very common since the married couple live with the wife’s family they were always there to protect her. If there was a divorce the child would stay with the mother.

Conquest

Everything the natives thought was normal was about to change for them in 1540 when the Spanish first make contact. When the Spanish saw the natives for the first time they were in disbelief with the way the natives were living. They saw the natives as poor and dumb. They saw that the natives had an abundance of land and food but were not using it properly and living like animals. When they saw the sexual practices they were even more appalled. The Spanish followed the morals that came from religion. The moral religious values conservative and strictly followed by the Spanish. Showing any kind of affection out of the bedroom was not acceptable. The natives were having sexual intercourse and masturbating openly in front of their children. Pre-marital sex and masturbation was forbidden. The Spanish believed that you needed to be a virgin, pure for your husband or wife. Once you were married you were to only engage in sexual practices with your husband or wife. Any sexual practice you did out of your marriage was seen as committing adultery. Natives obviously did not have the same beliefs, and for that the Spanish saw that as a reason to be conquered. And so they did. They brought in the missions to help convert the natives. The natives that refused to join a mission were either killed or eventually starved due to the lack of food.

Conclusion

Times now have definitely changed since the 1550’s and the way we practice our sexuality. Although there are some people who practice the religious values not all do. There has been a wide acceptance with sexual practices that were once considered taboo in today's society.

Work Cited

•Bullough, Vern L., and Bonnie Bullough. Human Sexuality: An Encyclopedia. New York: Garland Pub., 1994.

•Lang, Sabine. 1997. Various Kinds of Two-Spirit People: Gender Variance and Homosexuality in Native American Communities. Two-Spirit People: Native American Gender Identity, Sexuality, and Spirituality. 100-118.

•"The 'Two-Spirit' People of Indigenous North Americans." The 'Two-Spirit' People of Indigenous North Americans. Accessed March 14, 2016. http://www.firstpeople.us/articles/the-two-spirit-people-of-indigenous-north-americans.html.

•Blackwood, Evelyn. 1984. Sexuality and Gender in Certain Native American Tribes: The Case of Cross-Gender Females. Signs. 10, no. 1: 27-42.