I just recently saw a trailer for Maggie Gyllenhaal's latest movie called "Hysteria."  It is about the invention of the first sexual vibrator for women and it looks absolutely hilarious.  We live in such a constrained, stodgy, and ultra conservative society these days that I see this as a sort of breath of fresh adult air.  LOL  Frankly the overall sexual oppression here in the U.S. has become almost stifling and this movie happens to take a little peek at just how our ancestors in the notorious "Victorian Era" viewed their sexuality and dealt with it.  In those days prostitution was certainly not legal but it was generally tolerated as long as the providers maintained a reasonably low profile.

Generally the male population would lead typically conservative appearing lives.  They married a fine upstanding woman, had the requisite number of children, had the typical house with the picket fence, and attended the local religious establishment du jour.  However in their leisure time away from their family it was rather customary to frequent what were euphemistically referred to as "Gentlemen's Clubs" where they enjoyed fine cigars, the best liquors, and yes even the company of a lady of questionable virtue from time to time.  In many instances if they happened to have sons it was even customary to bring them to one of these establishments in their early teen years in order to introduce them to manhood and to learn the proper ways to please a lady.  My my how times have changed.

Today such establishments are really rather difficult to find in most cities and you have to be quite wealthy and powerful or famous in order to gain the knowledge of their whereabouts and to be permitted entry.  At the other end of the extreme you have the homeless street people and drug addicts who will do about anything for a few extra bucks but you risk life and limb if you have anything to do with them.  So for most of us plain working stiffs we have to travel outside the U.S. for some more earthy companionship.  But back to the point of this article this movie looks at the perspective of the women of this era.  Obviously the males had a suitable means of release for their libidos but this often meant that their wives at home were somewhat neglected in the sex department.

Generally such sexual deprivation can lead to a feeling of malaise and discontent and for some even hysterical reactions.  This was thus diagnosed by the physicians of the day as "hysteria."  The treatment was regular visits to the doctor's office whereupon the doctor would simply masturbate the lady to orgasm and relieve her of her sexual tension.  In the case of the more attractive ladies I suspect some of the less scrupulous doctors perhaps took advantage of that situation to ease some of their tension as well.  In any case some of the doctors actually became a bit tired of this business and longed for some sort of a mechanical assistant and this movie documents the supposed invention of the first electric vibrator designed expressly for the purpose of satisfying the horny Victorian ladies.  If only I could have lived back then and had the patent for the Sybian.  LOL

Normally I really don't care much for movies or any form of commercial entertainment for that matter.  Most of it has become somewhat trivial and repetitive to me and as for the movies terribly expensive as well.  Once in a while one comes along though that peaks my interest and this is one of them.  First of all I like Ms. Gyllenhaal as an actress.  She plays sexy and sultry roles quite convincingly and though this one is more comedic in nature she seems quite comfortable in that genre as well.  Also the subject is a bit controversial and off the beaten path and it seems to be really funny.  I can always use a good laugh.  But more importantly it points out just how our supposed very straight laced ancestors were actually more liberated than we are today. 

I just think that is grossly unfair that the only people who can get laid pretty much on demand for a few bucks are wealthy Republicans and Wall Street types, Congressmen and women, movie stars, famous athletes, and televangelists.  Not everyone is happily tucked into a nice working sexual relationship and they need a little sexual release now and again too.  As it is now we Americans have to go to Canada, the Bahamas, or the like to find a liberal enough environment.  Mexico has just become too dangerous because of our uptight drug war and its laws.  Now it is even getting harder to find a totally nude dance establishment anymore.  At least in those one could get close to their desire and fantasize a bit.  HEH HEH HEH HEH

I have also noticed an increase in the number of cases where women are actually abusing their positions to molest young males.  This seems like a new trend to me and probably has a lot to do with the overly constrained nature of our society today.  One of the quickest ways to make someone do something they wouldn't do ordinarily is to tell them that they cannot do it.  I remember the days when movies became hits simply because they were "Banned in Boston" or placed on the Catholic Churche's condemned list.  Now about all those of us who have no sexual companion can do is look a porn on the internet and masturbate.  Kind of sad really.  It would be so nice if we (unattached men and women) could go to a massage parlor and get a nice treatment for hysteria once a month or so.  I think that we need more Tantra temples across the country.  Then we could call it a religion, make it tax exempt, and be able to lobby Congress for more liberal laws regarding morality.  Just a thought.  :=))