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A History of the Penis and the Clitoris (Exploring the Body lecture series)

When:
Venue: External

No booking required

Is the clitoris simply a female version of the male penis? Many scientists and biologists in the past thought so. It is only in recent decades that the physiology of the clitoris has become understood. What can debates about these two organs tell us about scientific knowledge and gender identities? How have ideas about the “ideal penis” changed since the eighteenth century? What effect have these shifts had on the way men and women know their bodies? 

A History of the Penis and the Clitoris is part of a series of lectures on the body given by Professor Joanna Bourke, Professor of History at Birkbeck University of London, and Gresham Professor of Rhetoric.

Attendance is free. No reservations are required. The lecture is run on a ‘first come, first served’ basis. Doors will open 30 minutes before the start of the lecture. More information about the talk can be found here

You can read more about the series on the Birkbeck website

Barnard's Inn Hall, Gresham College: 

https://www.gresham.ac.uk/about/venues/barnards-inn-hall/

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