The Duke of Wellington said that "The Battle of Waterloo was won on the playing fields of Eton." All the other public schools (fee paying) and grammar schools (selective) emulated Eton in an academic and team sport curriculum.
The Edwardians believed that a boy who masturbated would grow up to be weak and effete (camp). If you were weak and effete it was your own fault. Lots of outdoors stuff and team sport made a young man fit, healthy and manly. A group of manly young men could swim and shower naked together without fear. Unfortunately fit young men kept getting caught in compromising situations leading to the theory that the effete homosexuals were corrupting them. Oscar Wilde for example was sent to Reading Gaol after an affair with Lord Alfred Douglas son of the Marquess of Queensberry (who wrote the rules of boxing).
It wasn't until the 1950's that Kinsey researched human sexuality and discovered that anyone could be gay however much they masturbated or played team sports. Gradually the straight male population lost confidence in being naked together while the gay community became interested in sport, fitness and being naked. Meanwhile the fear of homosexuals corrupting young men has changed to a fear of abusers corrupting children. These days a man that enjoys being naked or nearly naked risks being accused of being gay or a child abuser, so families rarely go to naturist beaches any more.
Has anyone else noticed how young males are now wearing rather tight trousers and even winkle picker shoes this winter?
|