medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Marjorie
My own area of research concerns the sexualisation of the female
foot in the Middle Ages. This appears to
correspond with plagues of sexually transmitted disease. Now there
is more compelling evidence to support the
existence of syphilis in Europe and China prior to the 15c, then
perhaps feet became a form of safe sex. Foot
binding in China is thought to have existed since the 11c and the
strange fashion in certain European courts for
poulaines (long toed shoes) started about the same time.. In the
case of the latter over a span of four centuries
men's footwear got longer and longer until they were 24" beyond the
foot. No satisfactory explanation has ever been
given to explain these phenomenon. Safe sex might.
Gianni AJ, Colapietro G Slaby A Melemis SM Bowman RK 1998
Sexualization of the female foot as a response to
sexually transmitted epidemics: a preliminary study Psychological
Reports 83 491-498.
As in the case of long toed shoes, tertirary syphilis would result
in tabes dorsalis and upset the proprioceptive
nervous system resulting in a distinct and characteristic, ungainly
gait. A similar pattern of walking would be
achieved by wearing extra long shoes. This may have served to
disguise those aristocrats suffering from venereal
disease.
Thank you for all your interesting posting.
Respectfully
Cameron
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