Thailand is a vigorously Buddhist country. About 94% of the population is Buddhist, and the state is officially a Buddhist Kingdom. There are over 30,000 wats (temples) in Thailand, serving the religious needs of every community. Therevada Buddhism is about as mainstream as can be here. Read more »

Printed periodicals featuring racy stories along with titillating art and photography were widely circulated in the U.S. from the mid-nineteenth century onward. The National Police Gazette (1845-1932) was one of the first examples of this popular genre, exploiting the public’s morbid fascination with crime and sin. It reached a peak circulation of half a million by the turn of the century. Magazines featuring nudists, pin-ups, burlesque dancers, and artist’s models all flourished into the 1950s and 60s. Read more »

The advent of the "Smoker" or "Stag Film" beginning in the early 1900s has provided us with an excellent opportunity to examine explicit depictions of sexuality over an extended period of time. Besides tracing the development of the technology and techniques of the medium, erotic films also provide a window into the prevailing tastes and proclivities of society at the time they were produced. Read more »