Varför gör det ont? : En undersökning av smärta vid samlag i svensk sexualupplysning 1932-59

• Main Author: Laitinen, Elina
• Format: Others
• Language: Swedish
• Published: Uppsala universitet, Institutionen för idé- och lärdomshistoria 2021
• Subjects: smärta vid samlag; underlivssmärta; mödomshinna; trång slida; vaginism; slidkramp; inflammation; sexualupplysning; RFSU; Sverige; History; Historia
• Online Access: http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-443834

This essay explores the conversation about female sexual pain in Sweden and in publishedswedish sexual education during a couple of decades in first half of the 20th century. Byexamining all published journals by RFSU (Swedish Association for Sexual Education) duringthe 1930s to the 1950s, the view on pain, how to prevent and relieve it, can be highlighted. In atime when the concept and conversation of sexuality was changning and exploring newgrounds, former hidden or silenced problems were discussed and medicalized. It shows sex andsexuality isn’t always easy. The main perspective to the examination is medicalization andpsychologization, to show how the use of language and perception of pain evolves over timeand which factors are presented as causes to the pain. Women are expected to feel pain duringtheir first intercourse, since the hymen is broken and allows the penis to enter, also initiatingher sexual life. It is not possible to penetrate before the hymen has broken or been removedsurgically. Vaginismus, menstrual pain and other reccuring pains are on the other hand physicalpains explained by phychological reasons. Fear of pregnancy or pain, or former unpleasantsexual experiences involving pain creates cramps that prevent intercourse or even makes itimpossible. In conclusion, the author argues that RFSU psychologizes pain and therefore demedicalizes it as a physical issue, by making physical pain a result of psychological causes andrecommends it should be treated thereafter.