Turns Out Chastity Belts Were Just Fake News From The Middle Ages
In reality, chastity belts were a misogynistic medieval joke that the sex-obsessed Victorians took a little too literally
The chastity belt: thick, iron underwear fastened with a sturdy padlock, impenetrable without a key. But what about chafing? Peeing? That time of the month? It all sounds pretty impractical… were chastity belts ever actually used?
For centuries, the chastity belt was a myth used to tease insecure husbands and joke about lustful women. That is, until the Victorians grabbed hold of the concept and made it their own. As a result, purported medieval chastity belts shown in museums were Victorian forgeries — which isn’t surprising, considering the Victorian obsession with sex.
The true history of chastity belts is about sex, anxiety, and misogyny. And it’s filled with insecure men, topless women, and some inventive solutions to the problem of pooping through metal.
