Sex and Humor

"The relationship of sexuality and humor is a recurrent theme in the collections at The Kinsey Institute.... The holdings contain vast numbers of silly greeting cards, naughty objects, cartoons, jokes, and toys. It is clear that much of the collection is humorous in some way, and that these pieces are likely to be some of the most memorable and engaging." ―from the Foreword by Betsy Stirratt

Four important scholarly essays dealing with various aspects of humor and sexuality make up the first part of this book: "Sex and Humor: A Personal View," by John Bancroft; "Humor in the Eight-Pagers," by Frank A. Hoffmann; "The Capacity for Outrage: Feminism, Humor, and Sex," by Leonore Tiefer; and "Gershon Legman, Lord of the Lewd," by Mikita Brottman. As an added attraction, Carol Tavris and Leonore Tiefer have contributed their exclusive "interview" with "Dr. Frieda Tingle, the world’s leading expert on sex."

Then, to accompany the exhibition "Sex and Humor: Selections from The Kinsey Institute," to be presented at the Indiana University School of Fine Arts Gallery from February 8 through March 9, 2002, the book showcases 42 full-page images from the exhibition, accompanied by short descriptive captions describing the origin, history, cultural context, and purpose of the pieces. An overview of the renowned Kinsey collections by curator Catherine Johnson is provided, and there is a checklist of the more than 165 photos, drawings, prints, novelty items, and other objects in the exhibition.

Sex and Humor will serve as a catalyst for further discussion about the nature of humor and its relationship to human sexual behavior and expression.

Catherine Ann Johnson is Curator of Art, Artifacts, and Photography, The Kinsey Institute

Betsy Stirratt is Director ofthe School of Fine Arts Gallery at Indiana University.

John Bancroft, M.D. is Director of The Kinsey Institute.