One of the worst times for masturbation was during the Victorian era. During much of the 19th century, doctors falsely warned that masturbating would cause hair to grow on the palms, lead to paralysis or decrease a person's intelligence.
One of these doctors, John Harvey Kellogg, believed that masturbation was caused by "hot urges." He thought the practice was a dangerous drain on the body's energy reserves and so made countless bizarre recommendations to parents in the hopes that they would be able to prevent their children from masturbating.
When his most radical ideas (like circumcision for both boys and girls) were ignored, Kellogg decided to invent a food that tasted so boring and bland that it would cool the urge to touch oneself. In the end, this food had no effect on masturbation, but it sure had a lasting impact on the breakfast market. Yes, Kellogg was the inventor of none other than Kellogg's Cornflakes cereal.
The fear of masturbation did not die with Dr. Kellogg. As recently as 1994, publicly saying that masturbation was acceptable could cost you your job. This happened to Jocelyn Elders, who was the Surgeon General at the time. At a United Nations-sponsored conference on AIDS, Elders said that masturbation, "Is a part of human sexuality, and it's a part of something that perhaps should be taught." Shortly after making these daring remarks, she was asked to resign.
With such a long and negative history, it's no wonder so many people think masturbation is abnormal or dangerous. Though today's health care professionals and sexuality educators know that masturbation is a healthy and safe activity, it's a message that a lot of people still need to hear.
