Repression and censorship are common features of totalitarian and authoritarian governments, where people's freedom to express themselves and pursue happiness is limited. The authorities usually attempt to control what citizens think, feel, read, see, listen to, say, write, do, and believe. They can also restrict who they interact with and how. Such restrictions extend to private matters such as their sexual lives, including desires, fantasies, feelings, thoughts, behaviors, attitudes, and interests. These limits harm individuals' psychological development, especially regarding repression of erotica. In this essay, I will explain how erotic repression affects the psychological development of individuals under authoritarian regimes and provide examples from history.
Erotic Repression Under Authoritarian Regimes
Totalitarian governments often forbid citizens to show affection publicly or engage in intimacy or sex outside marriage.
The Taliban banned music, dancing, movies, and televisions, while women were required to cover up their bodies entirely and have male relatives accompany them when leaving home. Dictators like Idi Amin and Saddam Hussein banned sex education, forcing teenagers into unprepared parenthood, and Kim Jong-un executed anyone caught watching South Korean soap operas. Repressive policies limit access to pornography, masturbation aids, books on sexuality, LGBTQ+ rights, and abortion services. Sex workers are routinely arrested or killed, as was the case in North Korea and China. Some totalitarian countries also mandate sterilization for people with disabilities or minorities, as in Nazi Germany.
Erotic Repression's Effects On Psychological Development
Erotic repression affects one's psyche by preventing people from exploring their desires, identifying what they want, feeling comfortable being themselves, and developing a healthy attitude towards sex. It damages self-esteem and leads to shame, guilt, anger, anxiety, depression, fear, self-doubt, loneliness, distrust, isolation, trauma, confusion, and addiction. People may become aggressive, promiscuous, and have difficulty maintaining relationships. They may experience negative effects on their physical and mental wellbeing, including insomnia, eating disorders, substance abuse, chronic pain, suicidal thoughts, low libido, fertility problems, and PTSD.
Historical Examples Of Erotic Repression Under Authoritarian Regimes
Soviet Russia outlawed homosexuality, punishing it with up to five years in prison and exile. During World War II, Japan forced Korean women into sexual slavery, which contributed to high rates of rape and HIV/AIDS cases in South Korea. In 1960s China, Maoist policies restricted marriages and required couples to be approved by the government. Women who had multiple abortions were branded as criminals, and many children born during the Great Leap Forward died of starvation. During Apartheid, white South African police arrested black men for showing affection publicly or kissing interracially. The Khmer Rouge executed anyone suspected of having premarital sex or being gay. Iranian authorities banned dating websites, bars, and clubs; women were forced to wear hijabs and cover themselves from head to toe.
Erotic repression is a serious problem under authoritarian regimes that harms individuals' psychological development by damaging self-esteem and leading to trauma, depression, addiction, and other issues. It can make people feel ashamed, guilty, anxious, distrustful, lonely, confused, angry, aggressive, promiscuous, and unable to form healthy relationships. Totalitarian governments often ban intimacy, sex education, pornography, contraception, and abortion services, which have long-lasting effects on physical and mental wellbeing. Historical examples show how erotic repression has led to severe violations of human rights, including massacres, wars, genocides, and epidemics. Authorities must ensure citizens' freedoms, including sexual freedom, to allow them to develop psychologically, emotionally, physically, and socially healthily.
What is the impact of erotic repression on the psychological development of individuals under authoritarian regimes?
Repression has been defined as a process that involves the suppression of thoughts, feelings, desires, and behaviors which are considered taboo by society (Davies, 2013). Erotic repression is the act of suppressing sexual desire due to social norms or cultural beliefs about sex being "wrong" or "immoral. " Individuals who experience erotic repression may have difficulty with their emotions, relationships, and self-esteem.