Summaries and critical thoughs - Essay Example

Review of Male Transvestite Prostitution in the 14th century in London In this article, Ruth Mazo Karras and David Lorenzo Boyd have discussed the male transvestite prostitution that occurred in the 14th century in London. It is noted that although the legal records outline valuable information on sodomy in Italy, the information is limited in various parts of Europe. The text indicates on the study of sexuality, homosexuality, and the act of having sex in public places. However, Ruth and David emphasize that historians and scientists have not managed to group all individuals who behave in a homosexual manner to the homosexual category.

They insist on the fact that homosexuality and its identity is in between the sexes of both men and women.The pedigree of male homosexuality is comprised of five categories, sodomy, friendship, effeminacy, inversion, and homosexuality. However, according to the study, male homosexuals act as prostitutes, in their roles as women. Studies suggest that many males who practice prostitution refer to themselves as heterosexual and they develop complex policies to neutralize their significant behaviors.

The text has been described as taboo breaking that describes homosexuality in the 14th century in London. The author focuses on same-sex intercourse and male transvestism in medieval England.Rykener’s interrogation in the text raises concern on the public understanding of sexuality in a medieval culture. This entails of lack of specific sexualities, and the deployment of the concept of sodomy and homosexuality. The questions are difficult for John Eleanor Rykener to answer although the text explains the argument.

Rykener is a transvestite and a prostitute. This is because he had sex with both men and women, although he committed homosexuality for money.The author states that all women who had sex with multiple partners and the commercial partners are described as meretrix in the medieval society. This means that prostitution is linked to feminist. However, in cases that involved men, they were referred as oxymoron. This is a reason that describes the reason why Rykener is not accused of prostitution in the London court.

Men who indulge in commercial sex are not described as prostitutes but instead they are termed as sodomists. However, the text explains that if Rykener was not considered a prostitute based on medieval understanding of the concept, he would not be convicted as a sodomite. However, it is important to note that from the arguments of the text, a legal crime of sodomy did note mean that those involved were homosexual. The author states that the text does not discuss whether Rykener was a sodomite or whether he was attracted to men.

Rykener was involved with both men and women and it was hard for the court to convict him.In conclusion, we note that the logic behind the text is that the condemnation of sodomy complicates Rykener’s issue. The introduction of the text matches its conclusion since the author maintains a solid explanation of homosexuality and gender identity. A research on the medieval text concerning sodomy, it is easy to note that the act of sodomy is a wrongdoing. It acts as a manifestation of important issue that revealed the act of homosexual contact in medieval culture and conflation.

The conclusion of the text is complicated since it is difficult for readers to understand how Rykener is not convicted after his acts of sodomy. However, we learn that Rykener is as a man who forgot his gender identity and he took the role of a woman by indulging into sexual intercourse with men.